Federal Government, on Monday, directed all radio and Television stations in the country to stop using Twitter.
Director-General of the National Broadcasting Commission, Armstrong Idachaba, issued the directive in a memo to all the stations.
Idachaba directed all television and radio stations in the country to de-install Twitter and stop using it as a source of news.
“Consequent on the suspension of Twitter operations in Nigeria by the Federal Government over the persistent use of the platform for activities that are capable of undermining the corporate existence of Nigeria, the National Broadcasting Commission directs all Broadcasting Stations in Nigeria to suspend the patronage of Twitter immediately,” the statement read.
The NBC DG quoted Section 2(1) r of the NBC Act, which entrusts the commission with the responsibility to ensure strict adherence to the national laws, rules and regulations to back up his directive.
“Also, section 3.11.2 of the Nigeria Broadcasting Code provides that “the broadcaster shall ensure that law enforcement is upheld at all times in a matter depicting that law and order are socially superior to or more desirable than Crime and Anarchy”, he added.
Idachaba also drew the broadcasters’ attention to Section 5.6.3 of the code, which requires them to be mindful of materials that may cause disaffection, incite to panic or rift in the society in the use of a User Generated Content (UGC).
He noted that it would be unpatriotic for any radio or television station in Nigeria to continue to patronise the suspended Twitter as a source of its information, adding, “Therefore strict compliance is enjoined.”
Nigerians have been circumventing the ban through the use of Virtual Private Networks (VPN) but on Saturday, the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, threatened to prosecute those still using Twitter.
But the international community has kicked against the action of the government, describing it as abridging the rights of Nigerians to freedom of expression.