Nigeria, 70 NGOs Demand Lifting of #Twitter Ban

Seventy Nigerian, African and international non-governmental organizations have publicly expressed their strong condemnation of the decision, taken on 4 June by the Nigerian Ministry of Information, to ban Twitter.

The decision, taken after Twitter had cancelled a controversial post by President Muhammadu Buhari, represents an outrageous violation of the right to freedom of the expression protected by the Nigerian constitution and by international agreements signed by Nigeria.

Internet service providers had to block access to Twitter, information outlets were ordered to disactivate their accounts and, above all, millions and millions of people were suddenly deprived of a powerful tool of information and mobilization as shown last year with the #EndSARs campaign that demanded the disbanding of the infamous Special Anti-Robbery Squad unit of the Nigerian police.

The government also threatened criminal proceedings against anyone who tried to circumvent the ban and connect to Twitter.