• Sun. Dec 22nd, 2024

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“The Suspension of Twitter is in Violation Of Freedom Of Information Act” – Femi Falana

Nigeria’s foremost Human Rights Lawyer and a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Femi Falana has said the suspension of Twitter’s operations in Nigeria as declared by the Federal Government is in violation of Freedom of Information Act of 2013, which allows the citizens unfettered access to information pertaining to governance and public administration.

He further stated that suspending Twitter shows that President Muhammadu Buhari, has suspended Chapter IV of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended.

Falana disclosed this in a telephone conversation with our correspondent.

Earlier, several reports had it that the Federal Government on Friday evening announced the Suspension of micro-blogging platform, Twitter operations in Nigeria indefinitely.

According to the learned Silk the Suspension is inconsistent with the Freedom of information Act.

Falana said, “This act has confirmed the suspension of Chapter IV of the constitution. Very soon, Nigerians will be restricted to NTA and the FRCN as the only source of information. Media like Channels TV and others have been fined for embarrassing the government and they may be proscribed soon.

“The decision of the NBC to impose fines on media houses based on an illegally amended code of the Broadcasting Code. It is a rehearsal of the imminent proscription of local media organisations that publish anything considered defamatory or seditious by the government.

“With what has happened to Twitter, other media houses like CNN, BBC and Al Jazeera will also be suspended.”

By News Editor

Our News Editor, Muyiwa is an information management expert and Development Blogger with more than a decade experience in investigative reporting and journalism. He is passionate about human angle stories to all social issues in Nigeria and Africa.