Unban Twitter Now – US Urges FG
The United States government has challenged the Federal Government to immediately reverse its ban on Twitter operations, describing it as “state-sanctioned denial of free speech” in the country
According the US government, suspending indefinitely the microblogging site activities in Nigeria “was tantamount to anti- free speech policy.”
An administrator of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), Samantha Power, said in a statement on Wednesday that the directive should be reversed immediately in line with existing constitutional provisions.
Noting that Twitter has over 40 million users in Nigeria, Power said; “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”, the statement said.
Earlier in a statement via its Facebook page, the US Mission in Nigeria had also cautioned that the ban encroaches on citizens’ right to freedom of expression (speech).
The Mission said; “Nigeria’s constitution provides for freedom of expression. The Government’s recent #Twitterban undermines Nigerians’ ability to exercise this fundamental freedom and sends a poor message to its citizens, investors and businesses.
“Banning social media and curbing every citizen’s ability to seek, receive, and impart information undermines fundamental freedoms.
“As President Biden has stated, our need for individual expression, open public conversation, and accountability has never been greater.”
“The path to a more secure Nigeria lies in more, not less communication, alongside concerted efforts toward unity, peace, and prosperity”, the Mission stressed.
