The arrest, on Tuesday, by Germany security agents of August Hanning, a forner head of Germany’s Federal Intelligence Service (BND), for alleged espionage and leaking official secrets, has sent shock waves across Nigeria, especially amongst citizens and security agents leaking official secrets.
Hanning, who served as head of BND (equivalent of Nigeria’s National Intelligence Agency (NIA), from December 1988 to November 2025, was detained over allegations that he paid for access to classified documents and used some of the material to prepare an analysis for a foreign intelligence officer.
If convicted, 80-year-old Hanning faces life Imprisonment in Europe’s largest economy.
The Authority investigations revealed that Hanning’s arrest has sent shock waves across the world, especially Nigeria, with several persons considering the arrest as shocking.
A key official of one of the leading opposition political partis in Nigeria, told The Authority that with Hanning’s arrest and possible prosecution, it should now be taken fur granted that security agents can and would arrest and prosecute citizens in the habit of leaking official documents.
“The truth is that we do not really have espionage laws in Nigeria. We, however, have the official secrets Act, 1962, and the National Security Agencies Act (Decree No. 19 of 1986, later codified as Cap. N74, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria,” the retired police officer said, adding, “these laws can really be used to send several Nigerians to prison, especially those in the habit of leaking government documents.”
According to another party officer, “we are witnesses to how the social media has become awash with highly classified government documents.” He stated that, “some of these actions are carried out by persons who do not understand the implications of their actions,” adding, “unfortunately for then, ignorance is not an excuse in law.”
He cited the instance of a certain online publisher who habitually publishes classified security documents, saying such concepts as freedom of speech and freedom of information cannot be used as an excuse to override national security interests.
“This publisher even went to the ludicrous extent of writing that some security personnel were punished, while some were dismissed by their organizations for leaking classified documents to him. The truth is that such culprits, if found guilty, ought to be be in jail, not facing dismissal,” he said.
“If Germany, one of the most liberal democracies would declare that it would not tolerate the betrayal of secrets, I wonder what would become of persons in Nigeria’s emerging democracy who divulge official secrets,” he noted.
Continued the party officer, who retired from the NIA: “several social media users often either post classified documents or make comments undermining national security, sometimes without knowing it.
“They seem to forget that, under the official secrets Act, leaking, sharing, or keeping classified government material without proper authorization, or a public officer failing to properly protect classified documents or information under their control, can earn such persons a prison term for as long as 14 years.”
Also, he continued, acting in a manner prejudicial to safety in designated defense areas or breaking emergency restrictions, including unauthorized photography in certain areas, can land such persons in prison.
The former spy cautioned journalists and social media users to be wary of the kind of news reports they run, saying press freedom does not supercede national security.
“There has to be a country before you talk of the media. While the media is expected to be free and independent, the government, on the other hand, is duty-bound to withhold or censor specific details of information to safeguard military operations, intelligence methods, diplomatic relations, and prevent national harm from the release of classified information,” he declared.
