AGF Malami makes U-turn, says Nigerians who tweet won’t be prosecuted

Many young Nigerians resident in Nigeria, have been using Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) to circumvent the ban and conceal their locations, while tweeting as profusely as ever.

On June 5, 2021, Malami issue a statement to say this category of Nigerians would be prosecuted for flouting a federal government directive.

The minister has however reversed himself, saying his statement was misunderstood and taken out of context.

In a chat with Vanguard Newspaper, the minister said all he meant was that anyone who enabled Twitter to circumvent the ban was going to be prosecuted.

“It is within their guaranteed fundamental right to tweet from anywhere in the world. Nigeria, being a democratic nation, cannot stop its citizens from exercising their rights of freedom of expression,” Malami said.

“But our position on Twitter is clear: Anyone, whether individual or corporate institution that enables Twitter to circumvent the ban the Federal Government of Nigeria placed on the company, will be prosecuted.

“Our statement outlining our position did not ask the DPP to prosecute Nigerians using twitter or any social media platform to express their view.

“But we are going to use the legal instruments at our disposal to go after those who aid and abet Twitter to continue to threaten our corporate existence as a nation,” he added.

Some religious leaders had to issue disclaimers alongside their tweets, amid insinuations that they would be prosecuted.

Malami said at no time did the federal government threaten to prosecute any religious leader.

“It is clear from the barrage of insinuations and falsehood being orchestrated by some Nigerians and those trying to change the clear position of the Government of Nigeria to suit their whims and caprices and to whip up sentiments to hoodwink the people, that they are up to some mischievous and sinister games, which the Federal Government will not condone.

“At no time did we threaten any religious leader for using Twitter to express themselves. Neither did we indicate in any way that we were going after them. But mischief-makers were quick to mention names of religious leaders and give the impression that we were already in court to try them.

“Let it be made clear that the Buhari administration being a people-centred government that relies on the rule of law, will never adopt any policy or programme that seeks to add pain or injury to the very people who elected it to serve them.

“For the record, let it be made amply clear that the AGF, Abubakar Malami, is not after any Nigerian tweeting from Nigeria or anywhere in the world but that any Nigerian company or entity that gives a helping hand for Twitter to escape the ban placed on it, will be dealt with,” Malami warned.

The United States, UK, Canada, the European Union, Ireland and human rights advocates across the world, have been mounting pressure on the federal government to lift the ban.

President Buhari parried a question on the ban on June 10, preferring to laugh it off instead.

Source: PulseNg