REVERSE TWITTER SUSPENSION IMMEDIATELY – US TO PRESIDENT BUHARI

The United States Government has asked the Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal Government to immediately reverse the indefinite suspension of Twitter operations in Nigeria.

This was made known in a statement on Wednesday by an administrator of the United States Agency for International Development, Samantha Power.

The US official stated that Twitter has over 40 million users in Nigeria adding that the country is home to Africa’s largest tech hub.

She described the suspension by the Nigerian government as nothing more than state-sanctioned denial of free speech.

Recall that the US mission in Nigeria had in a statement condemned the ban on the social media site.

The mission described the Twitter ban as an encroachment to the Peoples right to Freedom.

“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,” its statement read.

“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.”

Recall that Twitter had last Tuesday deleted President Buhari’s tweet wherein he spoke about the civil war experience.

The President threatened to deal with those bent on destroying Nigeria through insurrection.

In a post on Twitter, the president wrote, “Many of those misbehaving today are too young to be aware of the destruction and loss of lives that occurred during the Nigerian Civil War. Those of us in the fields for 30 months, who went through the war, will treat them in the language they understand.”

However, the social media platform deleted the message on Wednesday, following widespread condemnation of the tweet.

According to a statement, Twitter said the post violated its rules, hence the need to delete the post.

Angered by Twitter’s action, the Federal Government last Friday suspended, indefinitely, the operations of microblogging and social networking service, Twitter, in Nigeria.

Nigeria’s Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, announced the suspension in a statement signed by his media aide Segun Adeyemi

The minister cited the persistent use of the platform for activities that are capable of undermining Nigeria’s corporate existence.

BREAKING: SERAP, FEMI FALANA, OTHERS, DRAG BUHARI’S GOVT TO ECOWAS COURT OVER TWITTER BAN

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) and 176 concerned Nigerians have filed a lawsuit against the President Muhammadu Buhari administration over “the unlawful suspension of Twitter in Nigeria”.

The applicants are against the criminalization of Nigerians using Twitter, and the escalating repression of human rights, rights to freedom of expression, access to information, and media freedom.

Following the deletion of Buhari’s tweet, Information Minister, Lai Mohammed last week announced the ban of Twitter operations.

The government has threatened to arrest and prosecute anyone using Twitter, while the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) asked all broadcast stations to suspend the use of the social media platform.

The suit No ECW/CCJ/APP/23/21 was filed today before the ECOWAS Community Court of Justice in Abuja.

SERAP threatens to drag Buhari govt to court for suspending Twitter in Nigeria

SERAP and the concerned Nigerians are seeking: “An order of interim injunction restraining the Federal Government from implementing its suspension of Twitter in Nigeria, and subjecting anyone including media houses, broadcast stations using Twitter in Nigeria, to harassing, intimidating, arrest and criminal prosecution, pending the hearing and determination of the substantive suit.”

In the suit filed by Solicitor to SERAP, Femi Falana (SAN), the plaintiffs contended that if the application is not urgently granted, federal authorities will continue to arbitrarily suspend Twitter.

They said the Buhari government was on the verge of slamming criminal charges and fines against telecommunication companies, media houses, broadcast stations and others.

The suit read in part: “The suspension of Twitter is aimed at stopping Nigerians from using Twitter and other social media platforms to assess government policies, expose corruption, and criticize acts of official impunity.

Twitter ban: NBC’s directive to TV, radio stations shows political interference – SERAP

“The free communication of information and ideas about public and political issues between citizens and elected representatives is essential.

“This implies a free press and other media able to comment on public issues without censor or restraints, and to inform public opinion. The public also has a corresponding right to receive media output.

“Freedom of expression is a fundamental human right and the full enjoyment is central to achieving individual freedom and to developing democracy. It is not only the cornerstone of democracy, but indispensable to a thriving civil society.”

NLC, ASUU PROTEST SACK OF 18 KADUNA UNIVERSITY LECTURERS

Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU have kicked against the sack of 18 lecturers of the Kaduna State University (KASU) for participating in last month’s warning strike the NLC declared in the state to protest the disengagement of some workers by the state government.

The management of the university had sent the names of the affected lecturers with their departments indicated to the state government upon which they were sacked.

In an interaction with newsmen, NLC president Ayuba Wabba, said the union had already reported the state government to the presidency for breaching their truce terms.

Wabba, who threatened that union would embark on another strike if the state government continued to violate the agreement, described the government’s action as a violation of the “no victimisation” clause in the agreement signed by the congress and the state government after a reconciliatory meeting at the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment on May 20.

The NLC said the state government had continued to violate workers’ rights as provided for in the labour laws as well as take punitive measures such as sack of workers for participating in the five-day warning strike.

Wabba told correspondent in Abuja on phone that the congress had written President Muhammadu Buhari to draw his attention to the action of the Kaduna State government.

He said, “The National Executive Council (NEC) of the NLC had on May 25, 2021 resolved that in case the Kaduna State government continued to pursue the path of punitive actions against workers and their interests, that it had given the National Administrative Council (NAC) the power to reactivate the suspended industrial action in Kaduna State.

and also call for the withdrawal of all workers in Nigeria without any further notice.”

Meanwhile, the chairman of ASUU), Abuja zone, Professor Theophilus Lagi, has said the governor of Kaduna State as a visitor to that university does not have the power to sack the employees or interfere in the affairs of the school.

Lagi urged the governor to thread with caution, saying that it may be too hot for him to handle.

He said, “Going by what is trending on the social media as regards the dismissal of academic staff, the Governor of Kaduna State as a visitor to that university does not have the right to sack employees or interfere in the affairs of the university. It is the sole prerogative of the governing council of Kaduna State University to employ and fire staff based on clear university procedures.”

When newsmen contacted the new national president of ASUU, Prof Emmanuel Osodeke, he said, “I am still sorting for information from our branch in that university on the true situation. Will react when accurate information is available.”

Some senior advocates who spoke to correspondents condemned the action of the state government.

According to them, labour laws in the country permit unionism.

Mr Abdul Balogun (SAN) condemned the state government a for victimising the workers.

According to him, if the state government is insisting on victimising them, they should approach the industrial court for redress.

A Kaduna-based legal practitioner, Murtala Akosile, accused the state government of being intolerant.

He said, ‘’The Kaduna State government should know that the agreement they have with workers in the state is not a master, slave relationship. Their rights to protest perceived injustice is enshrined in the labour laws of the country.”

SUSPECTED HERDSMEN KILL 30, INJURE OTHERS IN BENUE

No fewer than 30 persons have been killed and many others injured as suspected Fulani herdsmen attacked Odugbeho village in Agatu Local Council of Benue State on Sunday.

Narrating the incident to newsmen yesterday, an indigene of the community, Isaac Oche, said the suspected herdsmen invaded their village around 5.45p.m. and started shooting sporadically and disappeared into the bush about 7.00 p.m. after killing many people.

Shortly after the attack, Oche said, 11 bodies were recovered and taken to the village centre, while nine others littered the roadside, but could not be evacuated immediately due to fear till yesterday.

“We cannot stay any longer to recover all the dead bodies that night because it was dark and there was no security. I believe more bodies will be recovered now that security operatives are drafted to the area,” he stated.

Confirming the attack, the Chairman of Agatu Local Council, Mr. Suleiman Adoyi, said, 27 bodies had been buried while the injured were taken to the hospital for treatment.

However, all efforts to get confirmation from the Benue State Command failed at the time of filing this report.

IN another development, the Emir of Yashikeira, Baruten Local Council of Kwara State, Dr. Umaru Usman, has said the borders between his community and Benin Republic are very porous and have become a hideout for criminal elements.

He said if nothing was done soon to man the borders properly, it might become another Sambisa forest. Usman said security men posted to the area had become revenue collectors from smugglers, urging the government do all it could to curtail activities of smugglers in the area.

Speaking yesterday in Abuja during the African Border Day themed ‘Arts, Culture and Heritage: Levers for building the Africa we Want’ organised by the National Boundary Commission (NBC), the monarch said the security situation in the area was so terrible that the forest around the borders were occupied by bandits, making it difficult for indigenes to do business. He called on the Federal Government to establish a proper military base to curtail activities of the criminal elements as a result of the porous borders.

Earlier in his welcome address, the Director-General of the NBC, Adamu Adaji, said it was imperative to develop an integrated border management approach that would holistically address national security challenges, to protect and defend the borders against external aggression

FG OFFERS CONDITION TO LIFT BAN ON TWITTER IN NIGERIA

The federal government has imposed a condition on the lifting of Twitter’s indefinite suspension in Nigeria.

At a meeting with several envoys, Minister of Foreign Affairs Geoffrey Onyeama stated that Twitter’s operations in Nigeria will be restored only if the platform can be utilized “responsibly.”

When asked when the ban will be lifted, Onyeama stated there is no set date, but added, “The requirement would be responsible usage of social media, and that has to be it.”

“We are not claiming that Twitter is a threat to the country or anything like that; we have taken this action to prevent them from being used as forums for destabilization, facilitation, or encouragement of criminality,” he added.

TWITTER BAN: IPC, MRA THREATEN TO DRAG NIGERIAN FG BEFORE AU, UN

Two non-governmental organisations, Media Rights Agenda and the International Press Centre have threatened to drag the Federal Government to the African Union and United Nations if it doesn’t immediately rescind the ban placed on microblogging site, Twitter.

The groups stated that the action is an unjustifiable violation of the rights of all Nigerians to freedom of expression and access to information, noting that the action of the government violates the international and African charters the country was a party to.

They listed them to include the African Commission on Human and Peoples Rights’ Resolution 362 on the Right to Freedom of Information and Expression on the Internet in Africa, adopted on November 4, 2016, at its 59th Ordinary Session; the Declaration of Principles on Freedom of Expression and Access to Information in Africa, adopted by the Commission in November 2019, at its 65th Ordinary Session; and recent UN Human Rights Council resolutions touching on the matter.

This was contained in a joint statement signed by MRA’s Executive Director, Mr. Edetaen Ojo; and the Executive Director of IPC, Mr. Lanre Arogundade.

The statement was titled, ‘MRA, IPC Condemn Federal Government’s Twitter Ban, Threaten to Lodge Complaints Before AU, UN Bodies’.

It reads in part, “In its Resolution 362 of 2016, the African Commission expressed concern at the practice by African States of “interrupting or limiting access to telecommunication services such as the Internet, social media and messaging services.

“Also the Declaration of Principles also provides in Principle 38 (1) and (2) that States shall not interfere with the right of individuals to seek, receive and impart information through any means of communication and digital technologies, through measures such as the removal, blocking or filtering of content, unless such interference is justifiable and compatible with international human rights law and standards and that States shall not engage in or condone any disruption of access to the internet and other digital technologies for segments of the public or an entire population.

“The UN Human Rights Council resolution on the promotion, protection and enjoyment of human rights on the Internet, adopted at its 38th Session in July 2018, asked “all States to address security concerns on the Internet in accordance with their international human rights obligations to ensure the protection of all human rights online, in particular freedom of opinion and expression, freedom of association, and privacy, including through democratic and transparent national institutions, based on the rule of law, in a way that ensures freedom and security on the Internet so that it can continue to be a vibrant force that generates economic, social and cultural development.

“Also, in its latest resolution related to the matter, which was adopted at its 45th Session in October 2020, the Council has also unequivocally condemned measures in violation of international human rights law aiming to or that intentionally prevent or disrupt access to or dissemination of information online and offline, which undermine the work of journalists in informing the public, including through practices such as Internet shutdowns or measures to unlawfully or arbitrarily block or take down media websites, such as denial of service attacks and called on all States to cease and refrain from these measures, which cause irreparable harm to efforts at building inclusive and peaceful knowledge societies and democracies.

“The organizations called on the Federal Government to urgently take steps to comply with these internationally agreed norms and standards and retrace its steps from its current path, which puts Nigeria in danger of becoming a rogue nation that is constantly violating international human rights law as well as the principles of international law.”

BREAKING: PROPHET T.B. JOSHUA IS DEAD

Report reaching our news desk reveals that Pastor Temitope Balogun Joshua popularly known as T. B. Joshua, is dead.

Born on June 12, 1963, he was a televangelist and philanthropist.

He reportedly died in Lagos on Saturday evening shortly after concluding a programme at his church.

TB Joshua was the leader and founder of The Synagogue, Church of All Nations (SCOAN), a Christian megachurch that runs the Emmanuel TV television station from Lagos.

According to Wikipedia, Joshua was known for his popularity across Africa and Latin America and his social media presence with 3,500,000 fans on Facebook.

His YouTube channel, Emmanuel TV, had over 1,000,000 YouTube subscribers and was the world’s most viewed Christian ministry on the platform before it was suspended.

The cause of his death was unknown as at the time of this report.

Details Later…