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Nigerian government orders tv, radio stations to deactivate Twitter accounts
BY KAZIE UKO
Nigeria’s federal government has ordered television and radio stations in the country to immediately get rid of their Twitter accounts, following the ban on the operations of the tech giant by government.
The National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), agency of the government that regulates the broadcast sector, in a statement on Monday, signed by its Director General, Prof. Armstrong Idachaba, directed all broadcast stations in Nigeria to suspend patronage of Twitter immediately.
Idachaba, according to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), said that it would be unpatriotic for any broadcaster in Nigeria to continue to patronise Twitter as a source of its information.
The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, had already directed the Director of Public Prosecution of the Federation (DPPF) to begin the process of prosecuting Nigerians who continue to use Twitter after the ban.
According to Idachaba, section 2 (1) of the NBC Act entrusts the Commission with responsibility to ensure strict adherence to the national laws, rules and regulations.
“Consequent on the suspension of Twitter operations in Nigeria by the Federal Government over the persistent use of the platform for activities that are capable of undermining the corporate existence of Nigeria, the National Broadcasting Commission directs all broadcasting stations in Nigeria to suspend the patronage of Twitter immediately.
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“Therefore, strict compliance is enjoined and in Compliance to the above directive, broadcasting stations are hereby advised to de-install twitter handles.
“They are to desist from using twitter as a source (UGC) of information gathering for news and programmes presentation especially phone-in.
“Also, section 3.11.2 of the Nigeria Broadcasting Code provides that the broadcaster shall ensure that law enforcement is upheld at all times in a matter depicting that law and order are socially superior to or more desirable than crime and anarchy.
“Attention is also drawn to section 5.6.3 of the code which requires broadcasters to be mindful of materials that may cause disaffection, incite to panic or rift in the society in the use of a user generated Content (UGC),” the statement read in part.
RELIABLESOURCENG.COM reports that on June 4, the Federal Government suspended, indefinitely, the operations of Twitter, the microblogging and social networking service, in Nigeria.
Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, announced the suspension via a statement issued by the Ministry’s spokesperson, Segun Adeyemi.
The Minister cited the persistent use of the platform for activities that are capable of undermining Nigeria’s corporate existence.
“The Federal Government has also directed the NBC to immediately begin the process of licensing all Over-The-Top (OTT) and social media operations in Nigeria,” the statement read.