The Public Relations Officer of the Nigeria Police Force, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, has warned that cursing or using abusive language against individuals online is a criminal offense. He described such actions as cyberbullying, which is punishable under the law.

In a post shared on X.com on Friday, Adejobi explained that cyberbullying should not be mistaken for freedom of expression or constructive criticism.
He wrote, “Raining direct curses on someone online is cyberbullying, not an expression of freedom or criticism. And cyberbullying, which is even different from defamation, is a criminal offence and punishable. Be guided.”

The statement stirred reactions on social media, with many users expressing mixed opinions.

Felix Abayomi, tweeting as #felabayomi, questioned Adejobi’s stance, saying, “When does raining curses become a crime? I look forward to the day someone will challenge these laws.”
Another user, tweeting anonymously as #kingkhone4real, joked, “If that were the case, then all Nigerians should have been in prison by now.”

On the other hand, some users supported Adejobi’s position. A user with the handle #omoopee_ wrote, “You are absolutely right, sir; raining curses and engaging in cyberbullying is not freedom of expression but an act of harm. We must all learn to express ourselves responsibly.”