Amnesty: Twitter ban was illegal and attack on right to freedom of expression

Amnesty international, a global right group has hailed the lifting of the ban placed on social media platform, Twitter by the Federal Government.

The lifting of the ban after 222 days was announced in a press statement on Wednesday signed by the Director-General of the National Information Technology Development Agency and Chairman Technical Committee Nigeria-Twitter Engagement, Kashifu Abdullahi.

Speaking on the development, Amnesty disclosed that the Twitter ban was illegal in the first place and an attack on the right to freedom of expression.

“Amnesty International welcomes the lifting of Twitter ban by Nigerian authorities, after 7–months of depriving Nigerians from 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.

“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.