Pro-democracy and human rights group, Concerned Nigerians, has faulted claim by the Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed that Twitter chose Ghana as the headquarters for its African operations, due to the unpatriotism of Nigerians.
The group in a statement by its convener, comrade Deji Adeyanju noted that Alhaji Lai’s Mohammed attempt to place the blame on social media users and “unpatriotic citizens” is ridiculous and embarrassing.
“The reasons cited by Twitter for citing the headquarters in Accra, Ghana is that Accra is a champion of democracy and there is rule of law in the country, among other reasons. This is what you get when you de-market your country,” the minister had stated.
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However Adeyanju noted that the government should be blamed for gagging free speech.
“We recall, with great sadness, that at least six years prior to Twitter’s recent decision, Nigeria gradually evolved into an entity where free speech has become a criminal offence. We particularly note Alhaji Lai Mohammed’s utterances at various forum, where he pointedly threatened to close down the internet or social media in Nigeria.
“At various times, the Government of the day, for which Alhaji Lai Mohammed served as a principal actor, arrested and indefinitely detained citizens for simply exercising their right to free speech through social media. We are also not unmindful of the government’s attack on online news platforms in Nigeria. Some of these platforms have been forced to publish their stories through alternative network by bypassing the government regulated telecommunication companies. One needs no soothsayer to note that the Nigerian Communications Commission, the parent agency regulating telecom companies in Nigeria, is directly under the office of Alhaji Lai Mohammed,” the statement noted.
The group called on the minister to retract his words and offer an unreserved apology to Nigerians, adding that “no entity has damaged the Nigerian brand like the present government”.
