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The lawsuit filed in the ECOWAS court in Abuja called for a temporary injunction prohibiting the government from imposing a moratorium.
Dozens of Nigerians and a local human rights organization have filed a lawsuit in the district court to seek relief The government bans Twitter, Described the decision to suspend operations of this popular social media platform as an attempt to quell criticism of the government.
The authorities announced the ban on Friday, and two days ago, Twitter deleted a post by President Muhammadu Buhari threatening to punish regional separatists.
The government’s move triggered Rebound immediately Among social media users and human rights activists, #NigeriaTwitterBan and #KeepitOn are popular on the platform because Nigerians use a virtual private network to access the site.The government stated that those who continue to use Twitter will be accused.
On Tuesday, the local rights organization Socio-Economic Rights and Responsibility Project (SERAP) and 176 Nigerians filed a lawsuit in the Economic Community of West African States Court in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital, demanding a temporary injunction to restrict the government’s non-implementation of the injunction.
According to the organization, the lawsuit states: “The Twitter suspension is intended to intimidate and prevent Nigerians from using Twitter to evaluate government policies, expose corruption, and criticize the official impunity of federal government agents.”
Suddenly: SERAP and 176 concerned Nigerians have asked the ECOWAS Court in Abuja to order the prohibition of President Buhari’s government from illegally suspending Twitter in Nigeria and criminalizing Nigerians and other people who use Twitter.
— SERAP (@SERAPNigeria) June 8, 2021
Kolawole Oluwadare, deputy director of SERAP, stated that the ban “has a negative impact on millions of Nigerians who conduct daily business and operations on Twitter”, calling it “the final evidence of the shrinking civilian space in Nigeria, and the government’s intention to stifle any opposition. The intent of the voice”. “.
‘Unstable decision’
In 2021, Nigeria ranks 120th out of 180 countries in the Reporters Without Borders (RSF) World Press Freedom Index.
The most populous country in Africa has been hailed as one of the few countries on the African continent that attracts investment in its technology ecosystem, but it was shunned recently when Twitter chose neighboring Ghana as its first African headquarters.
Gbenga Sesan, executive director of the Paradigm Initiative, a pan-African social enterprise dedicated to digital inclusion and rights, Tell Al Jazeera Twitter’s suspension sent the wrong signal to foreign investors, adding that small businesses that use Twitter as a source of livelihood in Nigeria will be affected.
“Nigerian companies use digital media to reach customers, showcase their brands and communicate with various stakeholders. This will definitely be affected by this unstable decision,” he said.
Information Minister Lai Muhammad told the Thomson Reuters Foundation that the suspension has nothing to do with Buhari’s deletion of tweets, but has nothing to do with “separatists inciting violence” on the Internet.
“Regulating social media is not about stifling press freedom. We are talking about using these platforms responsibly,” Mohammed said, adding that Facebook, WhatsApp and YouTube are still accessible.
Nigeria, along with countries such as China, North Korea, and Iran, issued Twitter bans, while Uganda, Turkey, and Egypt suspended the app during elections or political turmoil.
The US-based company said in a statement that it is “deeply concerned” because access to the Internet is “a basic human right in modern society” and “will work to restore access to all people in Nigeria who rely on Twitter.” communicate with”.
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