Reverse Twitter Ban Immediately, USAID Warns FG

The United States of America has again urged President Muhammadu
Buhari, to rethink and rescind the Twitter ban in Nigeria.

This message was conveyed by a top American official and senior
diplomat, who is the current administrator of the US Agency for
International Development, Samantha Power.

Power, in a tweet on her verified handle on Wednesday, wrote,
“There are nearly 40 million Twitter users in #Nigeria, and the
country is home to Africa’s largest tech hub.

“This suspension is nothing more than state-sanctioned denial of
free speech and should be reversed immediately. #KeepItOn.”

Recall that the Federal Government through the office of the
Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, had banned
Twitter.

Much later, the Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar
Malami, had criminalised anyone accessing the microblogging site
through any other means, even though he logged on to Twitter to
deactivate his account on Tuesday.

Prominent Nigerians had continued to Tweet, saying the ban is
against free speech and fundamental human rights.

Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Projects and 176
Concerned Nigerians had on Tuesday filed a suit against the FG in
the Economic Community of West African States, urging them to unban
the site.

All this was because the president had stated that many of those
misbehaving in the country were too young and did not witness the
gruesomeness of Nigeria’s 1967-70 war, saying he would “treat them
in the language they would understand.”

The United States of America has again urged President Muhammadu
Buhari, to rethink and rescind the Twitter ban in Nigeria.

This message was conveyed by a top American official and senior
diplomat, who is the current administrator of the US Agency for
International Development, Samantha Power.

Power, in a tweet on her verified handle on Wednesday, wrote,
“There are nearly 40 million Twitter users in #Nigeria, and the
country is home to Africa’s largest tech hub.

“This suspension is nothing more than state-sanctioned denial of
free speech and should be reversed immediately. #KeepItOn.”

Recall that the Federal Government through the office of the
Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, had banned
Twitter.

Much later, the Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar
Malami, had criminalised anyone accessing the microblogging site
through any other means, even though he logged on to Twitter to
deactivate his account on Tuesday.

Prominent Nigerians had continued to Tweet, saying the ban is
against free speech and fundamental human rights.

Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Projects and 176
Concerned Nigerians had on Tuesday filed a suit against the FG in
the Economic Community of West African States, urging them to unban
the site.

All this was because the president had stated that many of those
misbehaving in the country were too young and did not witness the
gruesomeness of Nigeria’s 1967-70 war, saying he would “treat them
in the language they would understand.”