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#TwitterBan: NCC is a regulator not prosecutor’ – Comission says

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#TwitterBan: NCC is a regulator not prosecutor’ – Comission says

The Nigerian Communications Commission says it is not within its purview to arrest and prosecute violators of the Twitter suspension order.

NewsWireNGR had reported that in a statement on Saturday, the Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, had directed the Director of Public Prosecution to liaise with the Ministry of Communication and Digital Economy, the NCC and other relevant government agencies “to ensure the speedy prosecution of offenders without any further delay.”

However speaking to The Punch on Monday, the Director of Public Affairs, Dr Ikechukwu Adinde, said it was not within the power of the commission to arrest or prosecute.

“The NCC is a regulator. It is not within our power to arrest or prosecute. Based on our statement, we limited ourselves based on the order given to us by the government, which was to instruct the operators to disconnect, which was what we did. So, the other aspects are not within our purview,” Adinde said.

‘Nigeria should not stand in the way if Igbos want to secede’ – Northern Elders Forum

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‘Nigeria should not stand in the way if Igbos want to secede’ – Northern Elders Forum

The Northern Elders Forum say the country should not stop the Igbo people if majority of people from the region want to secede from the country.

The forum advised that the country should learn from history and not make a repeat of fighting wars in order to let Nigeria remain as one.

In a Monday statement released by its Director of Publicity and Advocacy, Dr Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, the forum said it has reviewed events and tendencies which suggest that the country is headed for more crises.

Baba-Ahmed in the statement said Nigerians live in fear of violence today, and in fear of an uncertain future. He pointed out that irredentists are increasingly asserting their influence over the South East and some part of the country. He mentioned that political leaders in the South East appear to have submitted to violence and terror of IPOB and ESN.

”Muted voices of millions of Igbo cannot be heard so that fellow Nigerians could understand the degree to which secession by the Igbo represents the popular choice. This nation has had to fight a terrible war to preserve the country. The North had paid its dues in that war, as indeed it did in many ways throughout the history of the country. Under our current circumstances, no Nigerian should welcome another war to keep the country together.

“The North in particular has more than enough challenges, and we recognize that violent secession by any part of Nigeria will compound the problems all Nigerians live with. The Forum has arrived at the difficult conclusion that if support for secession among the Igbo is as widespread as it is being made to look, and Igbo leadership appears to be in support of it, then the country should be advised not stand in its way. It will not be the best choice for the Igbo or Nigerians to leave a country we have all toiled to build and a country we all have a responsibility to fix, but it will not help a country already burdened with failures on its knees to fight another war to keep the Igbo in Nigeria.”

The Forum insists that attacks and killings of Northerners and Federal Government employees and destruction of National assets must stop and that those who have been involved in it must be arrested and prosecuted.

The statement further read, “Until the Igbo decide whether it wants to secede or remain part of Nigeria, the law applies to it, and Federal and State Governors who have responsibility to enforce the law and protect citizens must enforce it.

“We support calls for Northerners who are exposed to harassment and violence to consider relocating to the North. Unlike the postures and complacency of the leaders of the South East, we advise that all Igbo and other ethnic groups from the South residing in the North should be accorded the usual hospitality and security.

“The Forum believes that it is vital to address amendments to the constitution and achieve major changes in the structure and operations of our Federal system now. Members of the National Assembly elected by Nigerians have lost touch with the people they are supposed to represent.”

Nigerian Govt say, Attorney General will decide prosecution of Pastor Enoch Adeboye and Pastor Kumuyi for defying #Twitterban

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Nigerian Govt say, Attorney General will decide prosecution of Pastor Enoch Adeboye and Pastor Kumuyi for defying #Twitterban

Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, says the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN, will decide whether or not to prosecute the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Pastor Enoch Adeboye; the Founder and General Superintendent of Deeper Christian Life Ministry Worldwide, Pastor William Kumuyi; as well as other violators of the Twitter ban by the Federal Government.

Mohammed made this known on Monday evening during an interview with BBC News Africa monitored – Adeboye, in a tweet on Monday, had said his church is present in over 170 countries and tweeting is in accordance with Article 19 of the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Hours later, Kumuyi also tweeted that his church has branches across over 100 countries and five continents hence it can tweet from anywhere in the world.

When asked specifically whether the government would prosecute Kumuyi and Adeboye for defying its Twitter ban, the minister said, “The Attorney-General has made it clear that if anybody violates the regulation that such a person will be prosecuted and this is not about any particular person. It is in the realm of the Attorney-General to decide who or who not to prosecute.”

But Mohammed said there would be no human rights if the country goes on fire.

“It is because there is a country called Nigeria that they have rights at all. If the country goes on fire, and there is insecurity everywhere, then, there will be no rights for anybody,” he said.

When confronted by the interviewer that there is already insecurity in Nigeria, the minister said, “Of course, there is.”

“Are we supposed to increase the insecurity with Twitter?” Mohammed asked, adding that agents of destruction have chosen Twitter as a platform to destabilise the corporate existence of Nigeria.

Envoys of the US, UK and the European Union insists Nigerian govt violate fundamental human right of freedom of expression with #TwitterBan

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Envoys of the US, UK and the European Union insists Nigerian govt violate fundamental human right of freedom of expression with #TwitterBan

The envoys of the United States, United Kingdom and the European Union in Nigeria among others, have insisted that the Federal Government’s suspension of Twitter, is a violation of the fundamental human right of freedom of expression.

The envoys who met with the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, in Abuja on Monday, urged the government to protect freedom of expression.

US ambassador to Nigeria, Mary-Beth Leonards, who spoke on behalf of others said they were delighted to see Nigeria succeed, and that all challenges have solutions.

“We are here as partners who want to see Nigeria succeed. We want to see this place unified, peaceful and prosperous and that’s how all of our activities are arranged. I think we have to be very clear that we are Nigeria’s strong partners on issues of security and we recognise the daunting times and the array of security challenges that confront Nigeria.

“While they are daunting, they are not insurmountable and part of the way to surmount them is through partnership of the people you see represented here,” Leonards said.

“Not only in physical security but in terms of expanding opportunities and promoting mediation and dialogue; this is all very important and we look forward to continuing that partnership and continuing our conversation around important issues like media freedom.

“We re-affirm our position that free access to the ability to express oneself is actually very important and perhaps more important in troubled times.

#TwitterBan: AIT to challenge NBC directive in court

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#TwitterBan: AIT to challenge NBC directive in court

DAAR Communications PLC, owners and operators of Africa Independent Television, AIT, Raypower FM, and Faaji Radio has challenged the latest directive from the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) saying that radio and television stations should deactivate their Twitter accounts.

The commission on Monday directed the broadcast stations to “de-install Twitter handles and desist from using Twitter as a source (UGC) of information gathering for News and programmes presentation especially phone-in.”

Reacting to the directive of NBC in a statement on Monday, the management of media conglomerate said the announcement of the NBC is not backed by any law and therefore illegal.

Despite the concerns about the directive of the NBC, AIT, Raypower and Faaji Radio have suspended the use of their Twitter handles but will challenge the NBC directives in court as soon as judiciary workers suspend their ongoing strike.

“We Will Keep Tweeting” – Civil society Organizations in Nigeria defy govt ban

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“We Will Keep Tweeting” – Civil society Organizations in Nigeria defy govt ban

We Will Keep Tweeting

“The man dies in all who keep silent in the face of tyranny.”

  • Wole Soyinka

We are leaders of civil society organisations that work on governance, corruption, elections, digital rights & inclusion, women’s rights and journalism in Nigeria.

We strongly support statements released by various civil society organisations and other stakeholders, condemning the suspension of the microblogging platform, Twitter, in Nigeria, as this represents a continued assault on the civic space and anti-democratic clampdown on free speech.

We are also aware of the statement credited to the Attorney General and Minister of Justice, threatening to arrest anyone who continues to tweet after the announced suspension.

We, therefore, wish to categorically say that we, as individuals, and our organisations, do not know any law that the act of sharing information breaks, and will continue to use Twitter, other social media platforms, and other media channels, to share information and engage with citizens.

We note that  Section 36(12) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) makes it impossible to convict any person for a criminal offence if that offence is not defined and its penalty not prescribed in a written law. On the power of Section 36(12) which protects a fundamental human right, we therefore note and state unequivocally that the Attorney General’s statement threatening to prosecute citizens using Twitter contravenes the Constitution and is a violation of human rights and an utter abuse of power.

We stand with Nigerians who continue to exercise their fundamental human rights, especially as we will be celebrating Democracy Day on Saturday, June 12.

God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria!

Signed:

‘Gbenga Sesan, Executive Director, Paradigm Initiative (PIN)

‘Yemi Adamolekun, Executive Director, EiE Nigeria

Adebayo Raphael, Centre for Liberty

Auwal Musa Rafsanjani, Executive Director, Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC)

Cheta Nwanze (@chxta)

Chioma Agwuegbo, TechHerNG

Coalition in Defence of Nigerian Democracy and Constitution

Concerned Nigerians

Cynthia Mbamalu, Director of Programs, Yiaga Africa

Deaf Women Aloud Initiative (DWAI)

Dorothy Njemanze, Executive Director, Dorothy Njemanze Foundation (DNF)

Edetean Ojo, Executive Director, Media Rights Agenda

Hamzat Lawal, Connected Development [CODE] / Follow The Money

Joshua Olufemi, Founder, Dataphyte

Idayat Hassan, Executive Director, Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD)

Kolawole Oluwadare, Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP)

Lex Initiative for Rights Advocacy and Development (LIRAD)

Mojirayo Ogunlana-Nkanga, Centre for Impact Advocacy (CiA)

Nana Nwachukwu

Nelson Olanipekun, Citizen Gavel

Olabukunola Williams, Executive Director, Education as a Vaccine

Oluwatosin Alagbe, Premium Times Centre for Investigative Journalism

Raising New Voices Initiative

Seun Onigbinde, Director, BudgIT

Tunde Aremu

Udy Akpan, Executive Director, Youth Alive Foundation (YAF)

Y.Z Y’au, Executive Director, Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD)

Bishop Kukah, Chioma Agwuegbo, Azeenarh Mohammed, Elnathan John, Others, lead debates in Berlin on Religion and Society

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Bishop Kukah, Chioma Agwuegbo, Azeenarh Mohammed, Elnathan John, Others, lead debates in Berlin on Religion and Society

Media Personality, Journalist and Entrepreneur, Mercy Abang, hosted leading intellectuals and academia living in Germany and in Nigeria about the role of religion and everyday life in their home country, Nigeria.

The debate, produced in segmented series and editions, hosted in Berlin Germany by Nigerian Journalist, Mercy Abang, is to be transmitted on local television stations across Nigeria, hosted influential young Nigerians who spoke about religion, democracy, society, culture and the heterogeneity of the Nigerian state and the ties that binds the nation with an estimated 200 million people. 

“This is a show that lets viewers into the issues and conversations that matters most to the Nigerian people and the young people,” Speaking about the show, Senior Producer, Bence Mate, said. 

“Host of the show was the journalist and media personality Mercy Abang who, with her humor and wit, masterfully navigated the conversation through the at times loud and heated debates,” the statement issued by Media Frontline launching the show reads in parts.

On why the central theme of the engagement that hosted guests like Nigeria’s Bishop Matthew Kukah of the Catholic Archdiocese of Sokoto as one of the frontline panellists, Mr Mate said, “Nigeria is ascribed as a highly religious nation, and we wanted to have an engagement that generates an honest public discourse about topics otherwise surrounded by taboos and misconceptions and we do hope the viewers feel the same way when they get to watch the debate”.

Bence was quoted as saying, “The more than thirty young participants from all around Nigeria led a painfully honest conversation about the relations between religion and topics like identity, economy, public health, democracy and women’s rights. Most of the debaters are PHD students at different German universities. However, also personalities like the internationally acclaimed writer Elnathan John spoke up at one of the episodes titled Religion and Politics”. 

He added, “Many other public figures joined the debate via video call from Nigeria, amongst them Bishop Mathew Kukah, activist Fakriyyahh Hashim, Mr Alkasim Abdulkadir, Activist Ndi Kato, Journalist David Hundeyin, Ms Chioma Agwuegbo, Activist, Azeenarh Mohammed, Mr Henry Okelue, Ms Fali Hamu, Rebecca Roberts, just to name a few”.

The six-episode debate show was produced by Media Frontline e.V., specialized in media projects worldwide. Matasa da Imani (Youth and Faith), as the show’s title reads, was produced on behalf of the German Federal Foreign Office. The debate will begin to air by the second quarter of the year.

Fredrick Nwabufo: Who offended Buhari? Twitter or Nigerians?

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Fredrick Nwabufo: Who offended Buhari? Twitter or Nigerians?

Government is a relationship – between the leadership and the governed. A democratic government, in particular, should not operate in vacancy of citizens’ imprimatur. A government needs the trust, support and goodwill of its citizens. Legitimacy is the reward for good governance. Any government, which by intransigence severs the funiculus that links it with the citizens, is taking the highroad to oblivion.

Really, most people will not remember the infrastructure and extraordinary projects executed by an administration. But they will remember how secure they felt and the freedom they enjoyed under that government. General Abacha is reputed to have executed some of the sterling infrastructure projects in Nigeria. In fact, some of the roads his regime through PTF built are still sturdy to date. But how is he remembered today? He is remembered as a murderer and a violator of human rights.

Our leaders should learn from the ruins of others before them. Power is situational. What we do with it when we possess it will live with us, and even with our relics and generations to come. At this point, what I believe should be elemental for President Buhari is his legacy. He should not let ‘’power hawks’’ carnivorise what is left of his substance.

The suspension of Twitter by the Nigerian government is a jackboot experiment. It cannot be defended, rationalised or excused in anyway. Internet freedom is as basic as the right to life and the right to freedom of expression.

Naturally, some notable Nigerians and organisations have condemned this insidious attempt at absolutism. The Newspaper Proprietors’ Association of Nigeria (NPAN) led by Kabiru Yusuf said lucidly ‘’the suspension of Twitter’s operation by Nigeria is wrong and an overreaction’’. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, governor of Lagos state, and member of the APC – the president’s party – is of the opinion that the federal government should have managed the situation better.

“The federal government can handle this a lot better — because of the number of ecommerce; the number of youths doing digital stuff on the internet, and we cannot throw that away and say it’s not happening. I believe there could be a lot of restraint and better management from both sides,” the governor said.

Nigeria is said to lose N2.18 billion per day owing to the Twitter shutdown — according to NetBlocks, a data-driven online service. We do not need an Okonjo-Iweala to divine for us the cost of this folly. Many youths and businesses rely on Twitter for oxygen. And the federal government just pulled the plug — in a country with 40 million unemployed people, blistering inflation and insecurity.

Toiling Nigerians lose more in this dogfight between the Nigerian government and Twitter. Twitter loses nothing in the short and in the long run. So, who offended Buhari and who should be writhing from the economic perils of his ban? Well, if the government is deploying this as a gambit to asphyxiate dissenting voices on social media it will be a futile performance. Only good governance can silence the noise on social media.

Citizens from all strata have been giving the government a dressing down in the past few days. As expected, the US, the UK, Canada and EU did not equivocate in expressing disappointment at this punitive approach to an issue that could have been resolved through other channels. The condemnations are in order.

What is very annoying is the threat by Abubakar Malami, attorney-general of the federation, to arrest and prosecute anyone circumventing the ban to gain access to Twitter. This is farcical. Why is this man making a spectacle of Nigeria in the public square? I think we have enough comedians in the country already.

However, there is the pesky issue of hate speech, fake news, misinformation and disinformation on social media — particularly on Twitter and Facebook? How do we address this problem? We cannot look away and pretend that this creeping monster does not portend enormous danger for Nigeria.

Some countries like India, even the US and the UK, have set these tech leviathans to task regarding sanitising their social media space. We cannot suspend our hands and watch Nigeria burn.

As Kadaria Ahmed, top journalist, said while reacting to the ‘’decree’’ of the National Broadcasting Commission to broadcast stations to deactivate their Twitter accounts, ‘’the government (must) go back and engage with experts many of whom abound in the country on how to fight hate speech, misinformation and disinformation while respecting and upholding the rights that are fundamental in a democracy’’.

The Buhari government must redeem itself. Nigeria is still a democracy.

_________________________________________________________________

By Fredrick ‘Mr OneNigeria’ Nwabufo

Twitter @FredrickNwabufo

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In Cross River, Governor Ben Ayade’s aide refuses to join APC, resigns appointment

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In Cross River, Governor Ben Ayade’s aide refuses to join APC, resigns appointment

The Special Adviser to Governor Ben Ayade on Sustainable Development Goals, Mark Obi, has resigned his appointment.

In his resignation letter, which he made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Calabar, Mr Obi said that “as a founding member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), he would not defect to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

“Following recent happenings in the political alignment of the state governor, I am persuaded to review my involvement in the current state administration.

“Consequently, being a founding and subsisting member of the PDP in Cross River, I cannot in good conscience remain in my appointment as Special Adviser on Sustainable Development Goals.

“I hereby resign my appointment as Special Adviser immediately. I am very grateful to Governor Ayade for finding me worthy to serve the state in the said capacity.

“Nevertheless, I will continue to support the state and government in any way possible as a stakeholder and senior citizen,” the letter read.

Mr Obi had represented Boki 2 State Constituency in the Cross River House of Assembly under the PDP between 1999 and 2007.

Governor Ayade recently defected from the PDP to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

He said he took the decision in order to attract federal assistance to Cross Rivers.

Southern Governors who banned open grazing are ‘jokers’ – Miyetti Allah

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Southern Governors who banned open grazing are ‘jokers’ – Miyetti Allah

Fulani organisation Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore has distanced itself and its members from attacks on Sunday alleged to have been carried out by Fulani herdsmen at Igangan, in Ibarapa North local, Oyo, that led to several deaths and destruction of property worth millions.

Miyetti Allah National President Alhaji Bello Bodejo, made the denial when he spoke in Abuja on Monday.

Badejo also described the 17 southern states governors as ‘jokers’ in response to their proposed ban on open grazing in the region, stating that the ban won’t work.

‘The governors don’t have the constitutional power to do what they have done. Though they have the right to make pronouncements or suggestions, it’s not binding on us because there’s no constitutional backing to that. They are all jokers,’ he stated.

“We demanded the creation of a ministry that will carter for the welfare of our people.

‘We are being attacked endlessly from every part of the south. We don’t know where to go again. We suggested that the ministry be created to take care of our people.’ he further stated.

He advised Fulani people in the south to remain there and do their businesses legitimately because they are Nigerians and should be allowed to their trade peacefully anywhere in the country.

He challenged the government to go after people who are committing crimes in host communities irrespective of their tribe or religious beliefs.

#TwitterBan: ‘We will lift suspension if Twitter is used responsibly’ – Federal Government

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#TwitterBan: ‘We will lift suspension if Twitter is used responsibly’ – Federal Government

The Nigerian Government on Monday gave conditions to lift its indefinite suspension of Twitter in Nigeria.

According to a Cable report, Geoffrey Onyeama, Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, during a meeting with some foreign envoys said that Twitter’s operations in Nigeria would be restored only on the basis that the platform would be used “responsibly.”

“The condition would be responsible use of the social media platform and that really has to be it,” he said when asked when the ban would be lifted, adding that there is no definite timeline for the suspension of the ban.

“We are not saying that Twitter is threatening the country or any such thing; why we have taken this measure is to stop them from being used as platforms for destabilisation and facilitation of criminality or encouragement of criminalities,” the Minister added.

Recall that on Friday last week, the Federal Government put a ban on Twitter operations in Nigeria barely a day after the microblogging site deleted President Muhammadu Buhari’s controversial tweet referencing the Nigerian civil war.

Thereafter, the Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, on Saturday ordered the prosecution of Nigerians defying the government’s ban on Twitter without stating what law was being violated.

“We will invite journalists at the time of prosecution, and they will know which laws are used to prosecute. The point is Twitter has been banned. Anybody should not try to use Twitter,” he said.

#TwitterBan: Pastor Adeboye defies Federal Government; says tweeting is a human right

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#TwitterBan: Pastor Adeboye defies Federal Government; says tweeting is a human right

The General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Pastor Enoch Adeboye, has joined voices faulting the Federal Government’s suspension of Twitter operations in Nigeria.

Defying the Federal Government threat, Adeboye who has a large follower around the world tweeted that access to the micro-blogging site is a fundamental human right and is in accordance with Article 19 of the United Nations universal declaration of human rights.

The tweet read, “The Redeemed Christian Church of God is domiciled in more than 170 nations and territories. The tweets here are in accordance with Article 19 of the United Nations universal declaration of human rights.”

Article 19 of the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights read, “Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.”

Recall that on Friday last week, the Federal Government put a ban on Twitter operations in Nigeria barely a day after the microblogging site deleted President Muhammadu Buhari’s controversial tweet referencing the Nigerian civil war.

Thereafter, the Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, on Saturday ordered the prosecution of Nigerians defying the government’s ban on Twitter without stating what law was being violated.

“We will invite journalists at the time of prosecution, and they will know which laws are used to prosecute. The point is Twitter has been banned. Anybody should not try to use Twitter,” he said.

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