Huge blow for FG as ECOWAS Court issues order against Twitter ban

• The federal government's temporary ban on microblogging site, Twitter has met stiff opposition at the ECOWAS court
• The Nigerian government has been facing litigation at the ECOWAS court since it declared the use of Twitter in the country illegal
• The international community has condemned the ban on Twitter in the country, describing it as an attack on free speech

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The Court of Justice of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has issued an order restraining President Muhammadu Buhari administration from prosecuting any Nigerian for using Twitter.

The court issued the order on Tuesday, June 22, following the suit filed against the government by Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) and 176 concerned Nigerians over the Twitter ban in the country.

SERAP disclosed via its Facebook page that the interim injunction issued by the court stated that the government should obey the order pending the hearing and determination of the suit.

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The injunction read that it was:

''Restraining the government of President Muhammadu Buhari and its agents from unlawfully imposing sanctions or doing anything whatsoever to harass, intimidate, arrest or prosecute Twitter and/or any other social media service provider(s), media houses, radio and television broadcast stations, the Plaintiffs and other Nigerians who are Twitter users, pending the hearing and determination of this suit.''

The court says inference with Twitter is a human rights violation

The court further stated that any interference with Twitter will violate human rights. It also stated that it has the jurisdiction to hear the case.

Premium Times reported that counsel for the plaintiffs, Femi Falana, hailed the court for issuing the injunction against the federal government.

He said:

“The intervention of the ECOWAS Court is a timely relief for millions of Nigerians using Twitter who have been threatened with prosecution under the provision of the Penal Code relating to sedition.”

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FG approves team to discuss with Twitter

Meanwhile, President Buhari has approved the composition of the federal government's team to engage with Twitter over the suspension of the operations of the microblogging and social networking service in Nigeria.

This was disclosed in a statement sent to Legit.ng on Tuesday, June 22, by Segun Adeyemi, the special assistant to the president on media, office of the minister of information and culture.

The minister of information and culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, is expected to chair the team.

Source: Legit.ng