Ban On Twitter Move By FG To Divert Attention From Its Failure To Curb Insecurity – Ortom

Samuel Ortom, Governor of Benue State, has said the suspension of Twitter in Nigeria is an attempt by the Federal Government to divert citizens’ attention from its inability to curb the rising spate of insecurity in the country.

Governor Ortom said this in a post on his Twitter page on Tuesday.

The Federal Government announced the suspension of Twitter on Friday, two days after the microblogging site deleted a tweet of President Muhammadu Buhari after it was deemed to have “violated the Twitter rules”.

According to a statement by Lai Mohammed, Minister of Information and Culture on Friday, the ban was placed on Twitter due to the “persistent use” of the platform in purportedly encouraging activities that “undermines Nigeria’s corporate existence”.

But reacting, Governor Ortom described the action of the Federal Government as “illegal and ill-advised”.

According to the governor, the Federal Government is suppressing the fundamental human rights of Nigerians even when it has failed to put an end to the attacks and killings reported across the country.

“The ban on Twitter is not only illegal but it is also an ill-advised move to divert the attention of Nigerians from the FG’s failure to tackle insecurity in parts of the country. It amounts to suppression of fundamental human rights and gagging of social media,” Ortom tweeted.

The ban on Twitter is not only illegal but it is also an ill-advised move to divert the attention of Nigerians from the FG’s failure to tackle insecurity in parts of the country. It amounts to suppression of fundamental human rights and gagging of social media.

— Samuel Ortom (@GovSamuelOrtom) June 8, 2021