EndSARS: SERAP, 365 Nigerians ask court to reject suit to shut down Twitter

EndSARS: SERAP, 365 Nigerians ask court to reject suit to shut down Twitter

- About 365 Nigerians and a group, SERAP, have filed an application before the Federal High Court, Abuja

- SERAP and concerned citizens are asking the court to reject the suit seeking to shut down operations of Twitter

- Recall that a chieftain of the APC, Adamu Garba, had filed a suit seeking to stop the operation of Twitter

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The Federal High Court, Abuja, has been asked by the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) and 365 concerned Nigerians to reject a suit by Adamu Garba, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to shut down Twitter in the country.

The group who made this known in a series of tweets on Sunday, November 8, noted that the application was brought in the interest of the public.

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Legit.ng gathered that the body and concerned citizens in the suit that was filed on Friday, November 6, asked the court to dismiss Garba's case which seeks to stop the operation of Twitter within the Nigerian cyberspace, and ultimately restrict the rights to freedom of expression, peaceful assembly, and media freedom in Nigeria.

It would be recalled that the 2019 APC presidential candidate had filed a suit seeking to compel the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to stop the operation of Twitter International Company in Nigeria following the endorsement of the #EndSARS campaign last month by Jack Dorsey, the CEO.

EndSARS: SERAP, 365 Nigerians ask court to reject suit to shut down Twitter
SERAP and other Nigerians have asked the court to reject the suit seeking to shut down Twitter. Photo credit: Premium Times
Source: UGC

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The group and concerned Nigerians are asking the court “for leave to be joined in the suit as parties, and to be heard as of right, as provided for under the Nigerian Constitution, 1999 (as amended).

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Meanwhile, Legit.ng reported that during the EndSARS nationwide protests in Nigeria, there were fears that social media would be shut down by the federal government but that did not happen.

The minister of youth and sports, Sunday Dare, said the President Muhammadu Buhari-led government allowed the cyberspace in the country to remain open so as not to infringe on Nigerians' right to freedom of speech.

Dare, during an interview on Channels TV, said that this resolve by the president is contrary to some of the restrictive measures adopted by the government of other nations.

In a related development, Olumide Akpata, the president of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), faulted the move by the federal government to regulate social media.

Akpata believes the timing to further regulate social media is wrong, adding that he struggles with the terms.

Angry lawyers join EndSARS protest in Lagos | Legit TV

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Source: Legit.ng

Authors:
Oluwatobi Bolashodun avatar

Oluwatobi Bolashodun Oluwatobi Bolashodun is a journalist with six years of working experience in the media industry. She graduated from Babcock University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Mass Communication. Oluwatobi is a former Legit.ng Current Affairs Editor, mostly writing on political, educational, and business topics.