The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, SERAP, has insisted that the National Broadcasting Commission’s directive on the Twitter ban has political interference written all over it.
SERAP said this while reacting to NBC’s directive to all broadcasting stations in the country to suspend the use of Twitter.
In a statement by its Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, the organisation said NBC’s directive is unlawful because it is based on another unlawful decision by the Federal Government to suspend Twitter in Nigeria.
Recall that NBC gave the directive in a statement issued by its Director-General, Armstrong Idachaba, on Monday, June 7, 2021.
The statement read in part, “This directive by the NBC is itself unlawful because it is based on another unlawful decision by the Federal Government to suspend Twitter in Nigeria.
“The NBC’s directive has political interference written all over it. It is a blow to Nigerians’ rights to freedom of expression, media freedom, media independence, and diversity. The directive must be immediately withdrawn.
“Freedom of expression is a fundamental human right. This action by 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.“
