Reps Flag-Off Probe Of Twitter Ban Tuesday

Infamous Decree 4 is rearing its head again under guide of
national interest ― Hon Gbillah

Barring last-minute changes, the House of Representatives will
on Tuesday flags-off the investigative hearing into the ban imposed
on the operation of the microblogging site, Twitter, in Nigeria,
issued by the Federal Government, on June 4, 2021.

The investigative hearing is to be held at the instance of the
joint Committees on Communication, Justice and Information;
National Orientation, Ethics & Values and National Security &
Intelligence.

Some of the invited stakeholders include; the Minister of
Information, Culture and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, as well as
Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), Non-Governmental Organisations
(NGOs), among others.

The proposed investigative hearing was sequel to a directive
issued by the Speaker, Hon Femi Gbajabiamila, on June 8, 2021,
while welcoming his colleagues from the two weeks, who harped on
the need for the House intervention on the Federal Government’s
controversial decision to ban microblogging site, Twitter for
alleged plans to disintegrate the country.

Worried by the public outcry that greeted Federal Government’s
decision, the Speaker said the relevant House Committees of
Communication, Justice and Legal Matters, as well as Information,
are to submit a report within 10 days to enable the House to take
an informed decision on the ban.

While acknowledging that Twitter has been an important means of
communication and business for the younger generation of Nigerians,
the Speaker, however, observed that government has a responsibility
to ensure it is not used to undermine national security.

According to Hon Gbajabiamila, the investigation is to determine
whether due process was followed in making the decision.

In line with the Speaker’s directive, the joint Committees was
mandated to consider the legal frameworks upon which the Federal
Government made the decision.

Recall that members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the
House had after the Speaker’s speech staged a walk-out to protest
his refusal to give audience to the contributions to the debate on
the floor.

Hon Kingsley Chinda who conveyed the Caucus’ displeasure over
the threat issued to arrest Nigerians who use Twitter service,
expressed grave concern over the present administration’s
dictatorial posture, alleged that the ban may compound the
lingering insecurity and unemployment.

Speaking exclusively with Tribune Online, the immediate past
Deputy Chairman, House Committee on Petroleum Resources (Upstream),
Hon Mark Gbillah, underscored the need for relevant House
Committees to investigate whether the memo through which the ban
was pronounced emanated from the office of the Attorney General of
the Federation (oAGF) and Minister of Justice or not.

“While I give him the benefit of doubt in that regards, it is a
concern to me and I don’t believe he would have made such an
irresponsible memo but we would employ every legislative means at
our disposal to enquire and investigate to see whether or not truly
such a memo was indeed sent by this Attorney General to the
President.

“But to further buttress my concern about the conduct of the
Attorney General, in his recent support and culpable instigation of
the ban on Twitter in the 21st century the Buhari administration is
displaying, a very characteristic of a military junta this
President once headed, the infamous Decree 4 has appeared it is
rearing its head again under the guidance of the national interest,
I think the Attorney General should be learning his voice to this
illegal action which contravenes section 39 and 39 of the
Constitution.

“Section 39 specifically talks about freedom of speech and the
freedom of dissemination of information which they have restricted
Nigerians from doing by this action and it brings to the fore the
question Mr President asked which unfortunately the INEC people
were too beholding to him to respond to him.

“Mr President said we would treat them in a language they would
understand. And that obviously when you are talking about people
from certain part of the country, connotes the sound and actually
referred to the civil war. Doesn’t the Attorney General, the
Ministry of Information and APC know that those are sensitive areas
you do not carefully talk about? Do they think Twitter has not done
their research? Twitter is a private organisation with their
rules,” Hon Gbillah noted.

Infamous Decree 4 is rearing its head again under guide of
national interest ― Hon Gbillah

Barring last-minute changes, the House of Representatives will
on Tuesday flags-off the investigative hearing into the ban imposed
on the operation of the microblogging site, Twitter, in Nigeria,
issued by the Federal Government, on June 4, 2021.

The investigative hearing is to be held at the instance of the
joint Committees on Communication, Justice and Information;
National Orientation, Ethics & Values and National Security &
Intelligence.

Some of the invited stakeholders include; the Minister of
Information, Culture and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, as well as
Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), Non-Governmental Organisations
(NGOs), among others.

The proposed investigative hearing was sequel to a directive
issued by the Speaker, Hon Femi Gbajabiamila, on June 8, 2021,
while welcoming his colleagues from the two weeks, who harped on
the need for the House intervention on the Federal Government’s
controversial decision to ban microblogging site, Twitter for
alleged plans to disintegrate the country.

Worried by the public outcry that greeted Federal Government’s
decision, the Speaker said the relevant House Committees of
Communication, Justice and Legal Matters, as well as Information,
are to submit a report within 10 days to enable the House to take
an informed decision on the ban.

While acknowledging that Twitter has been an important means of
communication and business for the younger generation of Nigerians,
the Speaker, however, observed that government has a responsibility
to ensure it is not used to undermine national security.

According to Hon Gbajabiamila, the investigation is to determine
whether due process was followed in making the decision.

In line with the Speaker’s directive, the joint Committees was
mandated to consider the legal frameworks upon which the Federal
Government made the decision.

Recall that members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the
House had after the Speaker’s speech staged a walk-out to protest
his refusal to give audience to the contributions to the debate on
the floor.

Hon Kingsley Chinda who conveyed the Caucus’ displeasure over
the threat issued to arrest Nigerians who use Twitter service,
expressed grave concern over the present administration’s
dictatorial posture, alleged that the ban may compound the
lingering insecurity and unemployment.

Speaking exclusively with Tribune Online, the immediate past
Deputy Chairman, House Committee on Petroleum Resources (Upstream),
Hon Mark Gbillah, underscored the need for relevant House
Committees to investigate whether the memo through which the ban
was pronounced emanated from the office of the Attorney General of
the Federation (oAGF) and Minister of Justice or not.

“While I give him the benefit of doubt in that regards, it is a
concern to me and I don’t believe he would have made such an
irresponsible memo but we would employ every legislative means at
our disposal to enquire and investigate to see whether or not truly
such a memo was indeed sent by this Attorney General to the
President.

“But to further buttress my concern about the conduct of the
Attorney General, in his recent support and culpable instigation of
the ban on Twitter in the 21st century the Buhari administration is
displaying, a very characteristic of a military junta this
President once headed, the infamous Decree 4 has appeared it is
rearing its head again under the guidance of the national interest,
I think the Attorney General should be learning his voice to this
illegal action which contravenes section 39 and 39 of the
Constitution.

“Section 39 specifically talks about freedom of speech and the
freedom of dissemination of information which they have restricted
Nigerians from doing by this action and it brings to the fore the
question Mr President asked which unfortunately the INEC people
were too beholding to him to respond to him.

“Mr President said we would treat them in a language they would
understand. And that obviously when you are talking about people
from certain part of the country, connotes the sound and actually
referred to the civil war. Doesn’t the Attorney General, the
Ministry of Information and APC know that those are sensitive areas
you do not carefully talk about? Do they think Twitter has not done
their research? Twitter is a private organisation with their
rules,” Hon Gbillah noted.