FG ban on twitter undemocratic – US Consular General

The United States Government has described the ban on the operations of Twitter in Nigeria and the directive that all social media platforms operating in the country must register and obtain a licence as worrisome.
US Consul General to Nigeria, Claire Pierangelo disclosed this during an event tagged ‘A Conversation on Press Freedom, Freedom of Expression and Civic Space in Nigeria’ said the actions “have no place in a democracy and an infringement on the rights of Nigerians to freedom of expression.”
“Nigerian government’s ongoing suspension of Twitter and stated intent to introduce registration requirements for other social media platforms are deeply worrisome,” Pierangelo said.
She asserted that “banning or significantly restricting social media, including under threat of prosecution, undermines Nigerians’ human rights and fundamental freedoms,”.
Citing persistent use of the platform for activities that undermine Nigeria’s corporate existence, the Buhari-led government on June 4 announced the suspension of Twitter in Nigeria. Telecommunication companies started blocking access to Twitter on June 5, after they received a directive from the Nigerian Communications Commission to block access to Twitter.
Following the ban, the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), dragged the federal government to the ECOWAS court.
However, the government told a Federal High Court sitting in Lagos that it had not stopped Nigerians from using Twitter, adding that many Nigerians still used it every day.