Twitter ‘Locks’ Account Of Nigerian Who Called For Execution Of Buhari’s Critics

Twitter says it has locked the account of Na’Gwaggo, a Nigerian
user, for advocating the execution of some critics of President
Muhammadu Buhari.

This follows a complaint by Chidi Odinkalu, a former chairman of
the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), that Na’Gwaggo issued
death threats to himself and others considered to be critics of the
president.

Checks by the TheCable not TheNigerialawyer on Na’Gwaggo’s
Twitter page showed he is one of Buhari’s supporters.

The death threats had originated during a conversation about
Jalal Hajizavar, an Iranian official who was executed by a military
court for allegedly working against Iran’s interests for the United
States.

Iran Thursday executed Colonel Jamal Haji
Zavareh an Iranian IRGC officer for espionage against Iran. He was
accused to have being working against Iran’s interests on behalf of
Israel and Russia. pic.twitter.com/akhqeMIqqk^[1]

— Edward (@DonKlericuzio) June 22,
2019^[2]

Reacting to the post, Na’Gwaggo had tweeted: “@Ishakaa ee need
to do plenty of such to people like @Al_Salkida @farooqkperogi so
@ChidiOdinkalu can twerk his life away.”

In the series of tweets that followed, Na’Gwaggo, alongside
others had accused the human rights activist of peddling ‘fake
news,’ calling for him to be punished.

We know what @witan17 represents. It
is that shameless cult of personal supremacy above nation and
democratic values. Faceless characters like this hide under
pseudo-regime supremacy to do incalculable damage to national ethos
and sanctity of life. 1/3 pic.twitter.com/kAYuwQD7gD^[3][4]

— Ahmad Salkida (@A_Salkida) November
1, 2019^[5]

Others fingered for punishment in the series of tweets on
Na’Gwaggo’s Twitter page included Farooq Kperogi, a journalist who
writes ‘Notes from Atlanta’ and Ahmad Salkida, a journalist
reporting conflict and terrorism.

Odinkalu had laid a complaint to Twitter requesting Na’Gwaggo’s
account alongside others issuing death threats to him being
blocked.

Good morning patriotic Nigerians, yesterday
in an unprecedented move @ChidiOdinkalu^[6] who is arguably the most
dangerous fake news purveyor in the world led the yahoo yahoo
NGO/CSO community in Nig demanding Twitter suspend my account for
exercising my right to freedom of speech

— Abdul (@ishakaa) November
2, 2019^[7]

On Friday, the human rights activist said Na’Gwaggo’s account
has been banned.

“After investigating his tweet done yesterday advocating the
killing of @A_Salkida, @farooqkperogi & @ChidiOdinkalu,
@twitter confirms that the post violated platform rules & has
locked the account of @witan17,” Odinkalu posted on his social
media page, attaching a screenshot of Twitter’s response to his
complaint.

After investigating his tweet done yesterday
advocating the killing of @A_Salkida, @farooqkperogi &
@ChidiOdinkalu, @twitter confirms that the post violated
platform rules & has locked the account of @witan17. pic.twitter.com/0rPeF03INH^{[8][9][10][11][12][13]}

— Chidi Odinkalu (@ChidiOdinkalu) November 2, 2019^[14]

However, checks by TheCable on Saturday morning showed the
account is still active.

However, a user explained while the account may appear active,
Twitter has temporarily locked the account.

You can see the profile and Tweets as the
account has been locked and not suspended. By ‘locked’, it means
the account owner can’t Tweet and may be prevented from performing
certain actions for a set period of time. I expect account owner
has been asked to delete tweet. @_yemia pic.twitter.com/GmndGZUmPv^[15][16]

— Rosemary: is the R in VAR! (@RMAjayi) November 2, 2019^[17]

Nigerian Army Denies Report on Operation Positive
Identification

Following the widespread apprehension on the purported Nigerian
Army (NA) operation positive identification from 1 November to 23
December 2019, as mischievously peddled on the social media by a
hitherto unknown and fictitious organization the so called Bricks
company, which alleges that the NA will conduct the operation and
went ahead to state how the operation will be conducted by the
Army.

Specifically, Bricks alleges that – “residents shall witness
large numbers of uniformed Nigerian Army personnel parading the
roads in an exercise known as OPI”.

The NA wishes to inform members of the public that it has
nothing to do with the so called Bricks company and its illusionary
OPI, it is not an army operation and the NA does not create any
operation with such name or abbreviation in all its operations
across the nation in a manner maliciously presented by the so
called Bricks company.

Similarly, NA has never issued press release through private
companies or third parties because it has a full fledged
Directorate that coordinates its public relations and Information
aspects which has a robust cordial working relationship with the
press.

Recall that in order to compliment the ongoing operation in the
North East, NA has an ongoing operation positive identification
which is intelligence driven, deliberate, targeted operation and
not an independent operation but is integral and complimentary to
Operation LAFIYA DOLE in the North East. The aim of the operation
is to arrest all those terrorists fleeing or escaping the war
zone/Theatre of operation to a safe haven or peaceful areas in
Nigeria.

Members of the public are hereby enjoined to discountenanced the
hitherto faceless and mischievous Bricks company and its alleged NA
OPI.

The NA wishes to use this opportunity to enjoin all Nigerians to
cooperate with the NA and indeed all other security agencies by
giving credible information that will assist in the identification
and eventual arrest of the fleeing criminals/terrorists in any part
of our beloved country.

SAGIR MUSA
Colonel
Acting Director Army Public Relations