Anybody, including media houses and corporate organisations, who violate Twitter ban will be prosecuted – Malami tells Neusroom 

Nigeria’s Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami (SAN), has told Neusroom that any Nigerian, including media houses and corporate organisations, caught violating the federal government’s suspension of Twitter operations in Nigeria will be prosecuted. 

Malami’s media aide Dr Umar Gwandu told Neusroom in a telephone interview on Saturday that the government has directed the Director of Public Prosecution of the Federation to begin prosecuting any Nigerian who violate the order.

He also confirmed to Neusroom that media houses and corporate organisation are not exempted from the prosecution. “Anyone who violates the federal government ban on Twitter would be prosecuted,” Gwandu said. “We are talking about violators, whether companies, individuals, corporate bodies, institutions and whatsoever, they will all be prosecuted.”

Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, announced on Friday, June 4, 2021, that the government had suspended the operations of Twitter in Nigeria following the removal of a tweet by President Muhammadu Buhari.

Many Nigerians reported the controversial tweet on Twitter for inciting violence and for violating Twitter rules.

Through the Nigerian Communication Commission (NCC), the government ordered Internet Service Providers to block access to Twitter for Nigerians from midnight on Saturday, June 5, 2021.

Despite the blockade, Nigerians could access the micro-blogging site through a virtual private network (VPN) which allows internet users to change their location and bypass the restriction.

Visibly peeved by this, Malami spokesperson in a statement on Saturday said the government had ordered the DPP to begin prosecuting Nigerians caught using Twitter.

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Nigerian courts are presently on lockdown due to the strike embarked upon by the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria since April 6, 2021. Asked if the strike will not affect the planned prosecution of violators, Gwandu said, “Who told you the court would continue to be on lockdown when the time for their prosecution comes? There will be ways of handling them, and it will be decided.”

He also said he could not speak on the likely penalty for violators, “that’s not within my jurisdiction,” the minister spox said. “the court will decide and determine the appropriate punishment for violators.

“We will invite journalists to witness the prosecution process, and then you will have answers to all your questions.

In a statement via its Policy page on Saturday, June 5, 2021, Twitter has said it would work to “restore access for all those in Nigeria who rely on Twitter to communicate and connect with the world.”