Latest on Twitter ban in Nigeria

[Charles-Tim]

Reserved.

[Charles-Tim]

Reps begin Twitter ban probe today

The House of Representatives’ Committees on Communications; Justice; Information and Culture; and National Security and Intelligence are to hold their inaugural investigative hearing on Tuesday (today) after the expiration of the 10-day deadline given by the leadership of the House to investigate the ban placed on Twitter by the Federal Government.

Speaker of the House, Femi Gbajabiamila, on June 8, 2021, said the leadership of the House had resolved to intervene in the decision that had pitched Nigerian Twitter users against the government. The leadership had mandated the committees to carry out an investigation, including inviting Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, to explain the rationale behind the ban and the legality of the action. The panel was asked to report back within 10 days.

The PUNCH had reported on Monday that the joint committee had yet to act on the directive. However, the committee on Monday invited journalists to its investigative hearing scheduled for 10am on Tuesday.

[Charles-Tim]

ECOWAS court stops FG from prosecuting Nigerians

The ECOWAS court of Justice in Abuja has restrained the Federal Government and its agents from arresting or prosecuting Nigerians who are making use of social media platform, Twitter, which was suspended by Nigeria two weeks ago. The Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, had threatened to arrest and prosecute Nigerians who were using Virtual Private Network to bypass the suspension of Twitter.

Civil Society Organisation, the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, and 176 concerned Nigerians, however, instituted a suit before the ECOWAS court, arguing that the unlawful suspension of Twitter in Nigeria, criminalisation of Nigerians and other people using Twitter had escalated repression of human rights and unlawfully restricted the rights of Nigerians and other people to freedom of expression, access to information, and media freedom in the country.

[Charles-Tim]

Twitter wants ban lifted, Reps say suspension dictatorial, ill-timed

The micro-blogging and social media platform, Twitter, has written the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), seeking restoration of its operations in Nigeria.

Reps fault FG, say suspension disservice to Nigerian. The lawmakers, however, faulted some of the issues raised by Mohammed. A member, Shaba Ibrahim (PDP/Kogi) said he agreed with the minister that national interest and security were at stake.

In details:
https://punchng.com/twitter-wants-ban-lifted-reps-say-suspension-dictatorial-ill-timed/