The global rights group, Amnesty International, has reacted to the restoration of the social media platform, Twitter in Nigeria.
In the reaction posted on Twitter, Amnesty International said the restoration although welcomed, was illegal in the first place.
“Amnesty International welcomes the lifting of the Twitter ban by Nigerian authorities, after 7–months of depriving Nigerians of exercising their right to freedom of expression on a social media platform that facilitates dialogue and empowers everyone to communicate, hold useful debates and conversations, and demand accountability from the Nigerian authorities.
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“The Twitter ban was illegal — in the first place — and an attack on the right to freedom of expression, including online, access to information, and media freedom. Nigerian authorities must end all acts that violate rights to freedom of expression, access to information, and freedom of the press,” the rights group said.
The lifting of the ban after seven months was announced in a statement on Wednesday signed by the Director-General of the National Information Technology Development Agency and Chairman Technical Committee Nigeria-Twitter Engagement, Kashifu Abdullahi.
“President Muhammadu Buhari . . . has approved the lifting of the suspension of Twitter operation in Nigeria effective from 12 am tonight,” he said.
