Reverse Twitter ban immediately, USAID warns FG

The United States government has asked the Nigerian Government to immediately reverse its ban on Twitter adding that it was tantamount to opposing free speech.

Samantha Power, an administrator of the United States Agency for International Development, made this known in a statement on Wednesday.

She revealed that Twitter has over 40 million users in Nigeria, noting that the directive must be reversed immediately.

She said, “There are nearly 40 million Twitter users in #Nigeria, and the country is home to Africa's largest tech hub. This suspension is nothing more than state-sanctioned denial of free speech and should be reversed immediately.”

The US Mission in Nigeria had also issued an earlier statement via its Facebook page pointing out that the ban was an encroachment to the people’s right to freedom.

She said, “Nigeria’s constitution provides for freedom of expression. The Government’s recent #Twitterban undermines Nigerians’ ability to exercise this fundamental freedom and sends a poor message to its citizens, investors and businesses.

“Banning social media and curbing every citizen’s ability to seek, receive, and impart information undermines fundamental freedoms. As President (Joe) Biden has stated, our need for individual expression, open public conversation, and accountability has never been greater. The path to a more secure Nigeria lies in more, not less communication, alongside concerted efforts toward unity, peace, and prosperity.”

The position of the US government contradicts that of its immediate past president, Donald Trump, who commended Nigeria on Tuesday for banning Twitter.

Trump had commended Nigeria for the recent action in a statement on Tuesday.

Trump’s statement starts with a “congratulations” to Nigeria for banning Twitter and said, “More countries should ban Twitter and Facebook for not allowing free and open speech.”

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