Following the ban on Twitter by the Federal Government and allegations of repression of the rights to freedom of expression and suppression of other rights, the Commonwealth is reportedly monitoring the situation in Nigeria. The Commonwealth Secretary-General, Patricia Scotland, stated this in response to an appeal for urgent intervention by the human rights group, the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability (SERAP). She pointed out that all Commonwealth member countries, including Nigeria, have committed themselves to upholding freedom of expression as one of the core values and principles of the Commonwealth Charter. This is also in line with their commitment to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other relevant human rights covenants and international instruments.
The Commonwealth of Nations, generally known as the Commonwealth, is a political association of former British colonies, which Nigeria is a member. Member countries are bound by core values of education, development and promotion of human rights among them.
SERAP had, in a petition, urged the Commonwealth to invoke the organisation’s charter and hold Nigerian government to account over the Twitter ban and subsequent repression of freedom of expression, access to information, media freedom, among other violations.
The human rights group had also accused Nigerian government of not being committed to protecting human rights and urged the Commonwealth to ensure that Nigeria observes the charter on freedom of expression, access to information, and media freedom.
On June 5, 2021, the Nigerian government officially banned Twitter operations in the country after the social media platform deleted tweets made by President Muhammadu Buhari against the separatist group in the South East, which Twitter believed to be inappropriate. However, the presidency swiftly denied any correlation between the tweets and the ban. Rather, it accused Twitter of encouraging subversive activities in the country, especially during the violent EndSARS protests.
Prominent Nigerians, civil society organisations, the United States (US) and the European Union (EU) had joined other concerned observers to condemn the ban. The US and EU had particularly argued that banning a medium of expression was not the answer, stressing that the path to a more secure Nigeria lied in more and not less communication.
It is laudable that the Commonwealth has intervened in the matter. The indefinite suspension of Twitter underscores the growing culture of intolerance by the government. It comes on the heels of the surreptitious moves to muzzle the media with the recent attempted amendment of the Nigerian Press Council (NPC) Act by the House of Representatives.
The Twitter ban and other anti-media actions of the government are sad reminders of the dark days of military dictatorship of 1984-1985 when the government promulgated Decree 4, which targeted at journalists accused of publishing materials that were considered embarrassing to the regime. That era should not be revisited in any guise in a democratic dispensation.
Good enough, Nigeria is a signatory to the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights, the United Nations Declaration on Human Rights as well as other international instruments guaranteeing human rights and freedom of expression. In 2011, it signed the Freedom of Information Act, which guarantees free access to information to the citizens. The ban on Twitter is unnecessary and antithetical to all these commitments to protect human rights and press freedom.
Any attempt to gag the media will add to the poor human rights record of the government and its fragrant abuse of rule of law. It is, indeed, sad that the government is known for flouting court orders or choosing the ones to obey. The government should know that Nigeria is a democratic country and that democracy thrives on the rule of law and freedom of expression. Government cannot afford to toy with these cherished ideals of democracy.
President Muhammed Buhari should impress it on relevant government officials to treat Nigerians with fairness, which the constitution guarantees them. The continuous ban on Twitter is reprehensible and unacceptable and must be lifted. Sections 22 and 39 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), give Nigerians liberty to express themselves without let or hindrance. They also give the media the latitude to monitor the activities of the government as well as the rights of everybody to hold opinions.
It is important for the government to heed the call by the Commonwealth and other well-meaning individuals and groups to urgently lift the ban on Twitter. Since no nation is an island, government should know that whatever it is doing is being monitored by others.