The Federal Government has issued a stern warning about the unauthorized disclosure or leakage of official documents, emphasizing that such actions are punishable by law due to their potential negative impact on the country.
Speaking at a workshop in Abuja organized by the Bureau for Public Service Reforms (BPSR) in collaboration with the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF), Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) Sen. George Akume underscored the seriousness of this issue.
Represented by Dr. Nnamdi Mbaeri, Permanent Secretary in the Office of the SGF, Akume stressed that the unauthorized leakage of sensitive official documents constitutes a felony with no defense under the Constitution or the Freedom of Information Act.
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The theme of the workshop was “Renewing hope and strengthening national unity through effective communication and the role of the Official Secret Acts in maintaining confidentiality and national security.”
Section 97(2) of the Criminal Code Act of Nigeria stipulates: “Any person who, being employed in the public service, without proper authority abstracts or makes a copy of, any document the property of his employer is guilty of a misdemeanour and is liable to imprisonment for one year.”
Akume highlighted previous government efforts to curb the leakage of sensitive information in Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) through service-wide circulars issued by the Office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation in August 2021 and again in February 2024, aimed at emphasizing the prohibition of unauthorized document disclosures.
“There is a need to regulate the activities of civil society organizations that use the Freedom of Information Act to harass, intimidate, and siphon resources from public officers through the dissemination of fake and unfounded information,” Akume said. He urged communication and related industry practitioners to address this issue effectively.
Akume commended the BPSR for organizing the workshop, noting that it underscores the government’s commitment to disseminating accurate and truthful information.
Dr. Dasuki Arabi, Director-General of the BPSR, encouraged participants to familiarize themselves with the Official Secrets Act and to effectively communicate government policies and programs to the public. He stressed the critical role of communication managers in MDAs, especially in today’s fragmented information ecosystem.
“The government cannot afford to be reactive. It must lead the communication landscape to prevent misinformation and ensure that citizens are well-informed about the government’s activities, objectives, and the benefits of its policies and programs,” Arabi stated. He urged communication managers to leverage both traditional and social media platforms to ensure the public is well-informed about government initiatives, programs, and services.
