By Udora Orizu
Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has condemned the directive by the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) to all broadcast stations in the country to suspend the patronage of Twitter with immediate effect.
The NBC had given the directive on Monday following the suspension of Twitter operations in Nigeria by the federal government over the purported use of the platform for activities that are capable of undermining the corporate existence of Nigeria.
But SERAP, in a statement by its Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, described the directive as illegal, unlawful, unconstitutional and has political interference written all over it.
SERAP said it’s also a blow to Nigerians’ rights to freedom of expression, media independence and diversity and must be immediately withdrawn.
The statement read in part: ”Freedom of expression is a fundamental human right. This action by the NBC is yet another nail in the coffin for human rights, media freedom and independent journalism under this government. The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights should publicly and vigorously express concerns over the Nigerian government’s increasingly brutal crackdown on media freedom, and use all possible means to urge the government of President Muhammadu Buhari to protect and respect freedom of expression.
”The international community should stand with the broadcast stations and journalists and make clear to the Nigerian government that freedom of expression, media freedom, transparency and accountability, as well as respect for the rule of law are essential to democracy. The UN and donors should continue to take every opportunity to call on the Nigerian government to rescind the unlawful suspension of Twitter in Nigeria, respect freedom of expression and media freedom and hold to account anyone targeting broadcast stations and journalists simply for carrying out their profession.”
