President Muhammadu Buhari has been dragged to ECOWAS court over “the unlawful suspension of Twitter in Nigeria.
The legal fight is being spearheaded by Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) and 176 concerned Nigerians.
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Nigeria’s leading human rights lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana is representing the 177 plaintiffs.
They sued Buhari for criminalisation of Nigerians and other people using Twitter, and the escalating repression of human rights, particularly the rights to freedom of expression, access to information, and media freedom in the country.”
Following the deletion of President Muhammadu Buhari’s tweet, the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed last week announced the suspension of Twitter in Nigeria.
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The government has also threatened to arrest and prosecute anyone using Twitter in the country, while the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) has asked all broadcast stations to suspend the patronage of Twitter.
In the suit No ECW/CCJ/APP/23/21 filed today before the ECOWAS Community Court of Justice in Abuja, SERAP and the concerned Nigerians are seeking: “An order of interim injunction restraining the Federal Government from implementing its suspension of Twitter in Nigeria.
The 177 Nigerians also seek a stay order on government from subjecting anyone including media houses, broadcast stations using Twitter in Nigeria, to harassment, intimidation, arrest and criminal prosecution, pending the hearing and determination of the substantive suit.”
©ControlTV2021.
