Twitter Suspension: Presidency Reacts To ECOWAS Court Ruling

The Presidency has reacted to the ECOWAS court ruling regarding the prosecution of Nigerians violating Twitter suspension in Nigeria.

Naija News reports that the ECOWAS court on Tuesday granted the prayers of Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) and 176 concerned Nigerians, asking the court to restrain the Federal Government from arresting or prosecuting Nigerians using Twitter.

The court also stopped the government from imposing sanctions or harassing, intimidating, arresting, or prosecuting Twitter.

Speaking with State House correspondents, after the weekly meeting of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) on Wednesday, in Abuja, Presidential spokesman, Femi Adesina, said the Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, will study the report and advise the federal government on what to do.

Adesina added that the committee set up by President Muhammadu Buhari to engage with Twitter will meet this afternoon and discuss the matter.

He said: “The attorney-general of the federation is going to study that report, and then he’ll advise the government on the way forward.

“The committee set up by the president to engage with Twitter is actually holding a meeting about now, or it will hold a meeting this afternoon (Wednesday) towards engaging with Twitter.”

Reacting to the proposed amendment of the Nigerian Press Council (NPC) Act, Adesina stated that President Buhari “has nothing to do” with it.

He said the proposed amendment is a federal government initiative, and as such, only the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, can address it.

“That is not strictly a presidency thing because the president has nothing to do with that. It’s a government thing and it’s the minister that can talk about it. So, thank you,” he said.