The groups
disclosed that Nigeria is one of the most dangerous West African nations for
journalists with a record of 226 attack cases against the media organsiations.
A group of
organisations has jointly condemned the Nigerian government for its indefinite
suspension of Twitter operations in the country.
The groups also
revealed that the President Muhammadu Buhari-led government, with its decision
to ban Twitter has subdued the freedom of expression and media independence in
Nigeria.
While criticising
the shameful decision, the groups disclosed that Nigeria is one of the most
dangerous West African nations for journalists with a record of 226 attack
cases against the media organsiations.
This was contained
in a press release signed by nine groups, which was made available to
SaharaReporters on Wednesday.
The statement was
signed by Accountability Lab Nigeria, YIAGA Africa, Premium Times, Partner West
Africa Nigeria, Dataphyte, The Future Project, Organization for Community Civic
Engagement (OCCEN), Nigeria, Young Leaders Network and Leadtots Development
Initiative.
“Accountability Lab
Nigeria, YIAGA Africa, Dataphyte, Premium Times and a number of partner
organizations have received news of the decision by the Federal Government of
Nigeria- led by President Muhammadu Buhari- to suspend Twitter in Nigeria with
trepidation and unease. It is regrettable that the Federal Government has
chosen to stifle the rights of citizens with this move which stands to retract
the minimal gains made around freedom of expression and media independence
since the days of military rule in Nigeria.
“As the giant of Africa, Nigeria cannot be
seen to be undermining constitutional rights and democracy by muzzling and
subduing its citizens. Press freedom has historically been a contentious issue
in many African countries, with Nigeria criticised as one of West Africa’s most
dangerous and difficult countries for journalists. The RSF Tracker 19 tool
exposes great hostility and mistrust towards African journalists and media
outlets, which are too often regarded as enemies rather than allies.
“The consistent
disregard for the Constitution, the rule of law, and the rights of citizens by
the administration has become more alarming and leads to questions about the
President’s capacity to lead a democratic nation such as Nigeria where diverse
voices matter for an inclusive society. The Federal Government cannot continue
to disregard the constitution that President Buhari swore to uphold. The ban on
Twitter is a direct attack on the freedom of expression, free speech, and
rights of every Nigerian who uses social media.
“COVID19 has exposed the underlying causes of
vulnerability in our governance system which stem from inequalities, injustice
and discrimination, weak institutions, and inadequate policies which are
all-important building blocks for a democratic society. Twitter is one of the
platforms that have been beneficial in shaping perceptions such as ensuring the
participation of excluded groups and people with disabilities in local
decision-making processes, and identifying societal issues that are
collectively addressed. Crackdowns and the criminalization of journalism are
inadequate responses to the tremendous challenges facing us in this epidemic,”
the statement read.
In the statement, Accountability Lab Nigeria
and its partners expressed displeasure that the ignoble decision of the
Nigerian government to ban Twitter operations had also placed an embargo on the
economic and financial ambitions of young talents in the country.
The groups recorded the amazing exploits that
have been birthed in Nigeria in the digital space, thereby insisting that the
Twitter ban would be great damage to the business investments of Nigerian
people.
“The ban on Twitter came as a shock to young
people across the country, especially in light of current strides being made by
young citizens in the tech space. On the 15th of October, Paystack, a Nigerian
start-up out of Lagos was acquired by online processing platform Stripe for
over $200 million to expand into the African continent.
“Fintech start-up, Kuda, raised over $25
million in seed investment to provide a modern digital banking service for
Africans. More recently, a digital Nigerian escrow company won a $100 million
business grant from Facebook and has put plans in place to provide visibility
to small businesses run by digital entrepreneurs across the 36 states of the
country. These are just some of the recent examples of Nigerian innovators
excelling in social and economic development through the digital space.
“Such a ban will
only stifle the ambitions of young Nigerians, many of whom were already using
the platform to market their businesses and expand to new markets around the
globe. It is equally harmful to the entertainment and media industries as many
content creators will be unable to reach their audiences.
“The ban closes the door to open dialogue
between Nigerians both locally and in the diaspora. Furthermore, it hampers the
fundamental rights of Nigerians to free speech, freedom of expression and
greatly limits the civic space in the country. It halts the ability of citizens
to express their views and contribute to the political and social structures in
Nigeria.
“The Twitter
platform and similar social media sites have become instrumental to
socio-political discourse in the country, have improved interest in the
democratic process among youth, and encouraged inclusion in governance.
“It should be recalled that the freedom of the
press has been under constant attack in Nigeria. Since 2015 when President
Buhari assumed office, over 226 cases of attacks on the Nigerian media have
been recorded by the PTCIJ’s Press Attack Tracker. These cases include physical
attacks, sanctions, surveillance, closure of radio and TV stations,
imprisonments and killings among other forms of oppression. A similar platform
managed by Spaces for Change, has recorded over 320 instances of the federal
government and other affiliated institutions clamping down on civic space.
“Broad categories of these attempts to close
civic space include restrictions on free speech, freedom of association and
assembly, and the anti-NGO bill (officially labelled ‘a Bill for an Act To
Provide For The Establishment Of The Non-Governmental Organizations Regulatory
Commission For The Supervision, Coordination And Monitoring Of Non-Governmental
Organizations’).
“The recent executive directive to deny access
to Twitter in Nigeria as well as the call by the Attorney General of the
Federation to arrest citizens who use Twitter is therefore yet another assault
on civic space. The totality of these actions by the Buhari administration
hampers livelihoods and impacts fundamental human rights. What’s more, the call
for the arrest of Twitter users outrightly violates the Constitution and the
institutions of the National Assembly and the Judiciary that uphold it.
“We condemn the ban on Twitter and solicit the
Federal Government's review and reversal of its decision as it is an
unconstitutional move in a democratic society. We also call on the legislative
arm to respect the separation of powers entrenched in the Constitution and
exercise its oversight powers to guarantee Nigerians their fundamental human
rights to life, association, expression, assembly, and the freedom of the
press," the statement said.
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