Twitter ban: Civil society groups dare FG, insist on Tweeting

Leaders of civil society groups in the country have condemned the suspension of the microblogging platform, Twitter in Nigeria, describing it as a continued assault on the civic space and anti-democratic clampdown on free speech.

In a statement jointly signed by Gbenga Sesan, Executive Director, Paradigm Initiative (PIN), ‘Yemi Adamolekun, Executive Director, EiE Nigeria, Adebayo Raphael, Centre for Liberty, Auwal Musa Rafsanjani, Executive Director, Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) and several others, said they are aware of the statement credited to the Attorney General and Minister of Justice, threatening to arrest anyone who continues to tweet after the announced suspension.

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“We, therefore, wish to categorically say that we, as individuals, and our organisations, do not know any law that the act of sharing information breaks, and will continue to use Twitter, other social media platforms, and other media channels, to share information and engage with citizens.

“We note that Section 36(12) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) makes it impossible to convict any person for a criminal offence if that offence is not defined and its penalty not prescribed in a written law. On the power of Section 36(12) which protects a fundamental human right, we, therefore, note and state unequivocally that the Attorney General’s statement threatening to prosecute citizens using Twitter contravenes the Constitution and is a violation of human rights and utter abuse of power.

“We stand with Nigerians who continue to exercise their fundamental human rights, especially as we will be celebrating Democracy Day on Saturday, June 12.

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Others who signed the statement include, Cheta Nwanze (@chxta), Chioma Agwuegbo, TechHerNG, Coalition in Defence of Nigerian Democracy and Constitution, Cynthia Mbamalu, Director of Programs, Yiaga Africa, Deaf Women Aloud Initiative (DWAI), Dorothy Njemanze, Executive Director, Dorothy Njemanze Foundation (DNF), Edetean Ojo, Executive Director, Media Rights Agenda.

Others are: Hamzat Lawal, Connected Development [CODE] / Follow The Money, Joshua Olufemi, Founder, Dataphyte, Idayat Hassan, Executive Director, Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD), Kolawole Oluwadare, Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), Lex Initiative for Rights Advocacy and Development (LIRAD), Mojirayo Ogunlana-Nkanga, Centre for Impact Advocacy (CIA).