Although, this is not a surprise for me. The government that governs Nigeria in the past after the milliary rule (head of states) were People's Democratic Party (PDP) which goverrns Nigeria for 16 years with Olusegun Obasanjo, Umaru Musa Yar'Adua and Goodluck Jonathan that rules as president during the PDP reign as the president. There was freedom of speech, but what people were complaining about was corruption, but during the time of Goodluck Jonathan, people also complained of Boko Haram killings (Boko Haram is one of the deadliest terrorists in the world) but located specifically and precisely in the Northeast Nigeria and neighboring country like Niger
Because people thought there would be changes, that there will be no more corruption in Nigeria which the All Progressives Congress (APC) were using against PDP during the presidental campaign, people believe in Muhammadu Buhar which is also now the incumbent president of Nigeria. I am not sure of his recent second term reign but he was truly voted for during the first term thinking corruption will cease to exist in Nigeria, also that he will be able to end Boko Haram massacre.
Muhammadu Buhari was voted for and became the president of Nigeria in 2015. After he was voted for, people started to complain of bad economy and suffering, some celebrities did not hesitate to display their emotions about this on social media, not long when the Senate pass a bill of hate speeches, that any Nigerian that is guilty of hate speeches would be fined 5 million naira ($12,195), I do not know if the fine amount has been changed or not. Also during his time was the EndSARs peaceful protest that Nigerian CBN block the bank account of the people's receiving funds for it, because if that, Bitcoin was later used for the funding, some months after, the CBN ban cryptocurrencies. Now president Muhammadu Buhari take to Twitter about Biafra war that that happened in 6 July 1967 – 15 January 1970, Twitter remove the tweet and suspend the president Twitter account for 12 hours but the federal government has told all telecommunication companies to block Twitter so that Nigerian citizens will not be able to access Twitter.
Now, this morning I was unable to access Twitter, if not because I used VPN to access it.
To read about the Twitter ban
Tweeps prepare to use VPNs as FG suspends Twitter in NigeriaTwitter suspension: Rights must be protected, Canadian envoy tells FGBREAKING: MTN, Airtel, Glo, others block access to Twitter in NigeriaPeople are now complaining of corruption, Boko Haram massacre, bandits, Fulani's herdsmen killing, and bad economy. IPOB has been agitating before for Biafra nation, now Yoruba are agitating for Oduduwa nation. There are much more to say but let me end it here.
Twitter, other OTTs must now register with CAC, FG insists
The Federal Government on Wednesday said the microblogging platform, Twitter, must register as a business concern in Nigeria as part of conditions to be met before the suspension placed on its operation can be lifted.
Mohammed accused the microblogging and social media platform of suspicious activities in the country, adding that it pays no taxes to the Nigerian government despite the revenue it generates from Nigerians.
“That is not the best practice globally, and that is why we are insisting that for you to operate in Nigeria you must first be a Nigerian company and be licensed by the broadcasting commission.
UPDATED: Nigeria needs Twitter, says Lawan
The senate president of Nigeria, Ahmad Lawan has finally commented on how social media are important.
The Senate finally broke its silence on the Federal Government ban on Twitter microblogging platform on Friday when its President, Ahmad Lawan, said Nigeria needs the social media platform just as it needs the country.
He said the Senate was convinced that the Federal Government and Twitter would eventually resolve their difference. He said, “The Honorable Minister of Information, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, has informed Nigerians that the government is talking with Twitter to resolve this matter.
“Our belief is that Nigeria needs Twitter just as much as Twitter needs Nigeria.
Twitter ban: Nigeria loses N24.72bn in 12 days
Nigeria has lost N24.72bn ($60.14m) in 10 days to the Twitter ban that took effect on June 5. According to NetBlocks Cost of Shutdown Tool, Nigeria loses N102.9m ($250,600) every hour to the ban.
I hope we can see how the government make no research before suspending Twitter in the country, I hope the suspension will be lifted off soon.
Twitter suspension: Lawyer sues Lai Mohammed, Malami as courts resume
A human rights lawyer, Inibehe Effiong, has sued the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, the Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami (SAN), and the Federal Government for suspending social media platform, Twitter.
In the originating motion marked FHC/L/CS/542/2021, Effiong is seeking nine reliefs including an order of perpetual injunction restraining the respondents from further suspending, deactivating or banning the operation and accessibility of Twitter or any other social media service in Nigeria.
Effiong asked the court to declare as illegal the threat of criminal prosecution issued by Malami and Mohammed against Nigerians who ‘violate’ the suspension or ban of Twitter, despite the absence of any written law.
Effiong recalled that on June 1, 2021, the President, Major-General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), who is a Twitter user, tweeted a series of tweets in a thread in response to the agitations in the South East on his verified Twitter account with the handle @MBuhari with millions of followers.
Twitter ban: ECOWAS court fixes June 22 for hearing
The Community Court of Justice of the Economic Community of West African States has fixed June 22 for a hearing in the suit challenging the Federal Government’s suspension of the operations of the microblogging platform, Twitter, in Nigeria.
Twitter ban: FG, Lai Mohammed sued over directive to broadcasters
Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project has filed a lawsuit asking the Federal High Court in Abuja “to stop the Federal Government and the Minister of Information and Culture, Mr Lai Muhammed from using their patently unlawful directive to all TV and radio stations not to use Twitter, and to delete their accounts as a pretext to harass, intimidate, suspend or impose criminal punishment on journalists and broadcast stations simply for using social media platforms.”
This is in reaction to the order by the National Broadcasting Commission asking TV and radio stations to “suspend the patronage of Twitter immediately” after the social media giant was banned in the country for deleting tweets of the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.).
In full details:
https://punchng.com/twitter-ban-fg-lai-mohammed-sued-over-directive-to-broadcasters/
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.
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.
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/
