Members of the House Representatives have resolved to invite the Minister of Culture and Information, Lai Mohammed in a bid to investigate the legality of the Twitter ban by the Federal Government.
The decision was reached on Tuesday during plenary.
The Speaker of the House, Femi Gbajabiamila, in his speech directed the House Committees on Justice, Commerce, and Information to investigate the process that led to the suspension of the platform.
The Speaker said the House recognizes that Twitter is a very important means of communication.
According to him, the microblogging site has been used for both good and bad and the legislature must make sure that the policies of government are in accordance with the law and do not have adverse consequences on the people.
He said relevant committees of the house are to constitute a single committee and commence an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the ban, and its legality.
The committee is to invite the Minister of Information on the matter.
The Federal Government of Nigeria last week announced the indefinite suspension of Twitter in the country.
The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed while announcing the suspension cited the persistent use of the platform for activities that are “capable of undermining Nigeria’s corporate existence.”
Following the announcement, telecom operators in Nigeria blocked Twitter leaving users in the country unable to access the microblogging website while some navigated the hurdle using Virtual Private Networks (VPN).
This has led to various reactions with the envoys of the United States, United Kingdom, and the European Union in Nigeria among others insisting that the Federal Government’s suspension of Twitter, is a violation of the fundamental human right of freedom of expression.
More to follow…
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