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Ruling on Twitter ban, hard won victory for peoples’ rights

By Ameh Ochojila, Abuja
19 July 2022   |   3:21 am
A civil Society Group has applauded the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Court ruling in suit against the Federal Government of Nigeria, challenging the ban on operations of Twitter App.

Photo by Alastair Pike / AFP

A civil Society Group has applauded the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Court ruling in suit against the Federal Government of Nigeria, challenging the ban on operations of Twitter App.

The group, Sterling Centre for Law and Development Media, described the ruling as a hard-won victory for peoples’ rights.

Recalled the ECOWAS Community Court in the suit brought against the Federal Government by SERAP, had ruled that it had jurisdiction to hear the cases.

The court also said the applications met the requirements and were admissible before the court.

On the merits of the case, the court ruled that the act of suspension of the Twitter Application by the Nigerian government (the respondent) was unlawful and inconsistent with Article 9 of the African Charter as well as Article 19 of the International Convention on Human and People’s Rights and amounts to violation of the applicant’s rights.

The respondent immediately lifted the suspension of Twitter, took necessary steps to align its policies to give effect to the rights of the applicants under the African Charter and UN Charter.

The court also ordered that the respondent undertake to take legislative steps to guarantee the rights of the applicants and that the respondent bears the cost of litigation of all the applicants.

In response, Executive Director of Sterling Centre for Law and Development Media, Deji Ajare, faulted the government ‘s attempt at interfering with the right to freedom of expression, peaceful assembly, access to information, as well as social and economic rights in the Internet age.

“Even though, in effect the ban has been lifted, the judgment of the Community Court of Justice of ECOWAS thus comes as a great relief and hope booster and will serve to deter the Nigerian government as well as other governments within the West African sub-region, from such future disruptions,” he said.

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