Group Kicks as Twitter’s Suspension in Nigeria Enters 104th Day

Emma Okonji

Worried about the continued suspension of Twitter’s operations in Nigeria, which entered its 104th day today, a group of human rights advocacy, has called on the federal government to reverse the suspension order without further delay.

The group, which comprises of Paradigm Initiative Nigeria (PIN), Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), Media Rights Agenda (MRA) and Enough Is Enough (EIE) Nigeria, condemned the continuous suspension of Twitter, and has accused the federal government of being insensitive to the challenges facing Nigerians, caused by the suspension order, which came into force on June 4, 2021.

The group who spoke at a press conference in Lagos, said majority of Nigerians depended on Twitter for business transactions, academic studies, research and information dissemination through Twitter handles. They explained that the suspension order has led to loss of jobs, business transactions, and information gathering and dissemination.

The CEO, Paradigm Initiative Nigeria, Mr. Gbenga Sesan said government’s action towards the continuous suspension of Twitter operations in Nigeria, was a clear violation of the rights of the Nigerian citizens, insisting that the group will not relent in their advocacy campaigns, until the federal government rescinds its decision on Twitter’s suspension in Nigeria.

Executive Director, Enough Is Enough, Yemi Adamolekun, said a situation where the federal government gave directive to telecommunications operators, through the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC),to block and deny Nigerians access to Twitter, was a gross violation of their fundamental human rights, which she said, has caused a lot of pains to Nigerians.

Director of Programmes, Media Rights Agenda, Ayode Longe, said her organisation would continue to condemn the suspension order on Twitter in Nigeria. She called on the federal government to fast-track the process of reversing the suspension order, having had meeting with the management of Twitter in Nigeria, where Twitter agreed to work closely with the Nigerian government, to enhance the smooth operations of the social media platform in Nigeria.

According to Longe, “Media Rights Agenda filed a separate suit against the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), challenging its powers to licence social media platforms, following its announcement calling on all social media platforms operating or seeking to operate in Nigeria, to register with the commission and obtain a licence. “Our action is founded on the conviction that the NBC has no statutory or other authority over social media platforms, as the law establishing it only gave it regulatory authority over broadcasting stations,” Longe said.

Apart from the suit filed by Media Rights Agenda, SERAP had led 176 concerned Nigerians to file the first law suit at the ECOWAS Community Court of Justice, against the government of President Muhamadu Buhari, over the unlawful suspension of Twitter in Nigeria, and the escalating repression of human rights, especially the rights of freedom of expression, access to information and media freedom in the country.

Following the suit, the ECOWAS Court had on June 22, 2021, issued an order restraining the federal government from prosecuting or harassing any Nigerian for using Twitter or any other social media platform.The suit was sequel to the threat by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami (SAN), who said that anyone using Twitter, despite the suspension, would be prosecuted.

The federal government, had on June 4, 2021, suspended the use of Twitter in Nigeria, following the moves by Twitter to delete the tweets of President Muhammadu Buhari, after he warned the South-east agitators who were of the Igbo extradition, of a potential repeat of the 1967 Biafran Civil War, based on their agitations, and coupled with the insurgency in South-east Nigeria.

Nigerian government claimed that the deletion of the President’s tweets was an assault on President Buhari, but Twitter insisted that the tweets negate it’s rule of engagement.

The federal government had since met with Twitter’s management and had given Twitter some conditions to meet before reversing the suspension order.