Reverse Twitter suspension, other plans to gag media, Amnesty tells FG

Amnesty International has condemned the Federal Government’s decision which suspended the operations of social media platform, Twitter, in Nigeria.

In a statement issued on Twitter, Amnesty International urged the Federal Government to reverse the suspension and other plans to gag the media.

“Amnesty International condemns the Nigerian government’s suspension of Twitter in Nigeria — a social media widely used by Nigerians to exercise their human rights, including their rights to freedom of expression and access to information.

“We call on the Nigerian authorities to immediately reverse the unlawful suspension and other plans to gag the media, repress the civic space, and undermine Nigerians’ human rights.

“This action is clearly inconsistent and incompatible with Nigeria’s international obligations including under the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights,” the statement read.

The ban was placed by the Federal Government on Friday, citing “persistent use of the platform for activities that are capable of undermining Nigeria’s corporate existence.”