The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), has threatened to sue the Federal government after it suspended micro-blogging platform Twitter in Nigeria.
President of the NBA, Olumide Apata said this in a statement shortly after the announcement was made by the Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed on Friday.
He said the action is a violation of the rights of Nigerians, as it is an attempt to restrict freedom of speech in the country.
He stated that the Association would challenge the decision in court, if it is not reversed.
Part of the statement reads
The Nigerian Bar Association Association has noted with great concern the extraordinary decision of the Federal Government of Nigeria to suspend the operations of Twitter in Nigeria and, by necessary implication, the right of Nigerians to freely express their constitutionally guaranteed opinions through that medium.
The Federal Government also directed the Nigerian Communications Commission to immediately commence the process of licensing all OTT and social media operations in Nigeria, which is, at best, yet another disguised attempt to regulate social media, restrict freedom of speech and shrink civic space.
Whether one likes it or not, we are operating a constitutional democracy, the primary consequence of which is that every thing must be done according to law; and government must be conducted within the framework of recognised rules and principles which restrict discretionary power.
Consequently if this decision is not immediately reversed, the Nigerian Bar Association will have no choice but to challenge same in the interest of the public and our democracy.
