The Federal Government has issued a strong warning to civil servants about the unauthorized disclosure of official documents, underscoring that such actions, which can harm national interests, are criminal offenses.
Speaking at a workshop organized by the Bureau for Public Service Reforms in collaboration with the Office of the Government of the Federation, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, highlighted this issue on Tuesday in Abuja. According to Punch, the event was themed: “Renewing Hope and Strengthening National Unity through Effective Communication and the Role of the Official Secret Acts in Maintaining Confidentiality and National Security.’’
Dr. Nnamdi Mbaeri, the Permanent Secretary in the Office of the SGF, represented Akume at the workshop. He pointed out that leaking sensitive official documents without authorization is a felony. "Such actions find no defense under the Constitution or the Freedom of Information Act," he emphasized. He referenced Section 97 (2) of the Criminal Code Act of Nigeria, which states: “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 also recalled that the government had taken steps in the past to address the issue of leaking sensitive information within Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs). These steps included service-wide circulars issued by the Office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation in August 2021 and reinforced by another circular in February 2024, specifically targeting the unauthorized sharing of official documents on social media.
He noted, “This was done to re-emphasize other extant regulations prohibiting unauthorized disclosure or leakage of official documents. There is the need to regulate the activities of the civil society organizations who use the Freedom of Information Act to harass, intimidate and siphon resources from public officers through the dissemination of fake and unfounded information. This should be properly addressed by all the practitioners in the communication and related industries.”
Akume commended the Bureau for Public Service Reforms for organizing the workshop, emphasizing the government's commitment to the dissemination of accurate and truthful information.
Dr. Dasuki Arabi, the Director-General of the Bureau, urged participants to familiarize themselves with the Official Secrets Act and effectively communicate government policies and programs to the public. He stated, “Your role as communication managers in MDAs is crucial, especially in our increasingly complex information ecosystem. In today’s environment, communications and platforms are highly fragmented. The government cannot afford to be reactive. It must lead the communication landscape to prevent misinformation and ensure that citizens are all informed about the activities, objectives of government and benefits of its policies and programmes to the citizens of the country. Accurate and prompt information delivery is essential and cannot be compromised as its impact on service delivery and governance is profound.”
Arabi encouraged communication managers to use both traditional and social media platforms to ensure the public is well-informed about government initiatives, programs, and services.