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General News of Tuesday, 8 June 2021

Source: www.mynigeria.com

AGF Malami vows to prosecute Adeboye, Kumuyi, and others after Twitter ban

Abubakar Malami, Minister of Justice (AGF), Lai Mohammed and Pastor Adeboye Abubakar Malami, Minister of Justice (AGF), Lai Mohammed and Pastor Adeboye

Nigeria's Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed, said Attorney General Abubakar Malami will ensure that Nigerians who used Twitter after the federal government banned it, including Pastor Enoch Adeboye, be prosecuted.

When asked if Mr Adeboye will be prosecuted for using Twitter, the Minister indicated this in an interview with BBC Africa Focus on Monday, despite supporting his use of the platform with Article 19 of the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR).

“Everyone has the right to freedom of thought and expression,” according to Article 19 of the UDHR, “which includes the freedom to hold opinions without interference and the freedom to seek, receive, and impart information and ideas through any means and regardless of frontiers.”

Mr Mohammed emphasised in the interview that the persistent use of Twitter in Nigeria is undermining the country’s corporate existence.

“The government has suspended indefinitely, the operations of Twitter in Nigeria because of the persistent use of the platform for activities that are capable of undermining Nigeria’s corporate existence and the government

“Also directed the National Broadcasting Commission to immediately commence the process of licencing all social media operations in Nigeria,” he said.

According to him, Mr Malami is in charge and has the final say on who or not to prosecute.

“The attorney-general has made it clear that if anyone violates the regulation, that such person will be prosecuted. I think it is the right of the attorney-general to decide who to prosecute,” he said.

The general overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) on Monday insisted on using his Twitter account despite the ban on the social media platform by the Nigerian government.

“The Redeemed Christian Church of God is domiciled in more than 170 Nations & Territories,” Mr Adeboye tweeted on Monday. “The tweets here are in accordance to Article 19 of the UN universal declaration of Human Rights.”

Similarly, the general overseer of Deeper Life Bible Church, Williams Kumuyi, said the mission’s tweets were targeted at its global audience spread across five continents and over 100 nations.

“In view of the Twitter ban in Nigeria, please note that the content shared on this handle is targeted at a global audience in more than five continents and over 100 Nations and we share the content from any of these locations,” Mr Kumuyi said.

Oyo governor Seyi Makinde condemned the ban and used the banned platforms nonetheless just as Kaduna governor Nasir El-Rufai also tweeted via his handle hours after government’s proclamation.