Global human rights group, Amnesty International, Wednesday launched an online campaign geared towards pressurizing the Federal Government of Nigeria to lift the suspension order it placed on Twitter in the country.
The organization said the ban or suspension of Twitter was unlawful and a further attempt by President Muhammadu Buhari to crackdown on freedom of expression.

According to the group, Nigerians who have grievances against the government have already been driven off the streets following the bloody crack down on thousands of unarmed youths during the #EndSARS protests that took place last year.

Amnesty International Nigeria urged all well-meaning Nigerians to send an email to President Muhammadu Buhari and Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami urging them to end the violations of the right to freedom of expression, access to information, and media freedom.

“It’s time to end the unlawful suspension of Twitter in Nigeria and let President Buhari know that Nigerians’ voices matter. When in the streets, peaceful protesters are met with violent reprisal from the Nigerian authorities, and now their online voices are being silenced as well.

“Legislative bills popularly known as the ‘Hate Speech Bill’ and ‘The Social Media Bill’ both of which provide severe punitive sanctions such as the death penalty in some cases for social media users convicted of ‘crimes’ provided under them are also signs of the regression in the rights to freedom of expression, access to information and freedom of the press,” the group said in a statement posted on its website.

The Nigerian authorities, had on Friday, June 4, 2021, announced a ban on Twitter in Nigeria and directed Internet Service Providers in Nigeria to block access to Twitter. Media houses also had to deactivate their Twitter accounts. These actions, according to Amnesty International, are clear violations of the right to freedom of expression, access to information, and freedom of the press.

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