It’s been more than 72 hours since the federal government ordered the Twitter Ban, a decision that has denied millions of Nigerians without “You-Know-What” access to the social media platform. The question on everyone’s mind is “how much longer will this ill-thought-out and extralegal decision hold?” The answer remains to be seen.
However, the Nigerian House of Representative seems to have stepped in.
During a plenary session on Tuesday, June 8, 2021, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila directed
Also, the committee involved is to submit a report about their findings within 10 days. According to the speaker, this will help the House make the right decision on the ban.
The speaker agreed that Twitter has been a useful communication and business tool for young Nigerians. However, the government has a responsibility to ensure that it poses no risk to national security.
Recall that the Federal Ministry of Information and Culture announced the ban on Friday and a part of the statement read:
“The Minister of Infromation and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, announced the suspension in a statement issued in Abuja on Friday, citing the persistent use of the platform for activities that are capable of undermining NIgeria’s corporate existence.’
The House will also summon the minister to appear and brief them on the decision.