Twitter Ban Nigeria

On the morning of June 5, 23-year-old Farida Garba * opened the Twitter app to find out she liked it Another 39 million Nigerians Twitter users were unable to access the platform.

“The tweets weren’t loading, and it took me an hour to figure out what happened,” Garba * – who chose to use that nickname for his personal safety – told BuzzFeed News.

The day before, the Nigerian government announced that it would suspend operations in the country on Twitter, ironically Twitter account Of the Federal Ministry of Information and Culture. On the day the ban went into effect, the Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria, which represents all the telecommunications companies and service providers in the country. confirm its members received orders from the federal government to suspend access to Twitter for all network users.

The government called for a ban “temporary”But it has not specified how long it will be in force. Neither did Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari when asked about the future of the ban in a strange conversation, he kept his lips tight and said he would keep the timeline to himself.

Many believe the announcement of the ban was in response to a decision by Twitter delete The tweet was made by Buhari, alleging that it violates the rules of application against “abusive behavior”. His account was also suspended for 12 hours.

He has threatened to deal with rebel groups who believe the controversial tweets are behind them recent attacks About security agents in Southeast Nigeria, it is reminiscent of what happened in the Biafra-Nigeria Civil War from 1967 to 1970. Buhari’s message, a direct quote from the speech given, received criticism, and many sounded the alarm that it could affect a country that continues to link ethnic rivalry and separatist tensions led by those seeking to flee Nigeria and regain the independent state of Biafra.

In response to the tweet being deleted, Information and Culture Minister Lai Mohammed a press conference In the capital Abuja, Twitter described Nigeria’s activities as “suspicious” and accused the platform of having an “agenda”.

A few days later, the ban was announced and quickly enacted without any deliberation from the legislature, leaving many Nigerians unbelievable.

Since then, only a few people have been able to access Twitter using virtual private networks to avoid reduction. The government has also stated that anyone who avoids the ban would be prosecuted.

In the West African country, social media has had a full role to play in expressing their views to citizens and openly expressing their frustrations with the government outside the election cycles. In October 2020, the microblogging platform was key to maintaining #EndSARS police brutality protests, which lasted more than two weeks massacre military officers of at least 12 persons.

Before the wild end of the #EndSARS movement, Twitter helped organizers protest, secure donations, distribute resources, and keep protesters on the ground and network with each other. When the Central Bank of Nigeria, according to federal orders, blocked donations to the accounts of nearly two dozen banks related to the protests, Twitter founder Jack Dorsey appeared in favor of the protests tweeting that Nigerians should take Bitcoin as an alternative.

Many Nigerians also believe the ban is partly a revenge against Dorsey’s actions during the autumn protests.

“The protests started and gained momentum thanks to social media,” 23-year-old journalist Eniafe Momodu told BuzzFeed News. “It was probably the first time that older generations of Nigerians, including most of our government officials, understood the power and impact of social media.”

Even before #EndSARS, however, the Nigerian government, under the Buhari administration, has consistently continued its efforts to implement social media restrictions. In 2019, asocial media nti bill, it was proposed to criminalize the use of social media in “trafficking in false or malicious information”. Citizens appeared to oppose the bill requests while he called for an offer to police more of the population, and was eventually killed.

Previously, in 2015, he was appointed by another now retired legislature Frivolous requests (Prohibitions) The bill came under Buhari’s power and was submitted less than a year later. The proposed law threatened a person with seven years in prison or a $ 25,000 fine for publishing “false information that could jeopardize the security of the country.”

Twitter’s ban and threats of prosecution are illegal under the Nigerian constitution, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the African Charter on Human and Peoples ’Rights, human rights lawyer Ridwan Oke told BuzzFeed News.

“Everyone is talking about the same thing, which is the right to freedom of expression. They are inalienable rights, ”Ok said.

Several human rights organizations have opposed this ban, with the Socio-Economic Rights and Accounts Project bringing the federal government to court in the Economic Community of West African States, concerned 176 Nigerians joined to file a lawsuit.

If Twitter has blocking movements he received help From former US President Donald Trump, he suggested he should do the same in office and accused social media platforms of “not accepting free and open expression”.

It would be difficult to quantify the extent to which this ban affects the millions of people who consider Twitter to be their main resource. The Nigerians we spoke to have shared that they are upset, worried or scared, and most say they continue to believe.

“When the ban was announced, I felt scared, like something bad was going to happen and we couldn’t ask for help,” Olapeju Jolaoso, a 28-year-old businessman, told BuzzFeed News. “My first customers were outside of Twitter. Now I’m afraid to tweet from my business account; I’m afraid they’ll persecute me. It’s scary because you can’t anticipate the next line of action, ”he continued.

Adding to the frustration is the fact that Jolaoso, who had a network of Twitter salespeople, had to move his online business operations to other apps like Telegram and Facebook.

But the benefits of Twitter are based on the security and community it provides to women and jewelry, both of which are highly marginalized groups in the country. Somik, a non-Nigerian transgender woman, believes the ban is a huge damage.

“Twitter is a place to look for friends and community,” said the 19-year-old, who is currently funding his medical transition. “Seek advice and encouragement without being judged by the outside world. I was here [used my voice] and I got all the help I needed. “

For 21-year-old queer liberation activist and writer Ani Kayode Somtochukwu, the impact it can have on LGBTQ Nigerians who see social media apps like Twitter slip away.

“For us, social networks are not only a convenience to organize, it is also a security. We can’t legally assemble without the law being the target, ”he said.

Demonstration of same-sex love in Nigeria is a crime 10 years old imprisonment.

Somtochukwuk also said that if the ban continues, LGBTQ Nigerians will suffer.

“It will mean the loss of the community, sometimes the loss of access to life-saving information, the loss of access to help in need,” he said.

For Nigerian women, Twitter has been instrumental in fighting inequality and increasing the violence that is taking place against them. Campaigns like Yaba Market march, who wanted to fight a culture of reflection and sexual harassment, found life on Twitter.

“It has become a space for shared opportunities, a place to call for violations of our rights, provide emotional support, and so on,” explained PR consultant and activist Ebele Molua. “We strive to find a way out to maintain ourselves in a society that does not care about human rights and the progressiveness of marginalized groups.”

Experts say Nigeria is losing a lot with this ban. According to NetBlocks’ Shutdown Tool Nigeria loses little $ 6 million for each day Twitter remains impossible. Intelligence Adeboye Adegok, CEO of the Paradigm Initiative, said it advocates for digital inclusion and digital rights in Africa.

“The Nigerian incumbent government has already repeatedly demonstrated that it does not believe in democratic ideals,” Adegok said. “Such moves scare away investors. So I certainly expect its impact on R&D (foreign direct investment), because we will find a way to measure it, to tell the truth about what is potentially lost. “

For many Nigerians, there seems to be no end in sight.

“I don’t think the ban will be reversed any time soon,” Cheta Nwanze, one of Nigeria’s leading political thinkers and head of SBM Intelligence, told BuzzFeed News.

“He says this particular government is duplicating bad ideas … I sincerely hope I’m wrong, but I see this ban lasting until the election season.”

As it stands, young Nigerians are conflicted on the way forward. Some sources we’ve talked to don’t know what’s coming and choose to wait for the ban. “I am very scared with a protest because these people have killed us before, [and] they will probably do it again, ”Garba said.

Others, however, were eager to return to the streets, such as to protest June 12 To coincide with Nigeria Democracy Day. The demonstrations, which took place in various parts of the country, were largely peaceful, but a Nigerian heavy police presence. Authorities did not hesitate to use force and violence, some crying while others were arrested.

Molua said he does not believe “Nigerians can have much more patience.”

“October woke us up to something as different as it shook us to our core,” he said. “He showed us that we can have a voice and ask our leaders if we can go as a single voice, and I hope that [can] it will bring us victory in the end. ”●