The ministry of information posted the announcement of Twitter’s suspension — on Twitter.
Twitter users in Nigeria expressed outrage at the blocking of one of the main outlets that they have to criticize their government and try to hold it to account. Since Saturday when the ban took effect, many Nigerians have circumvented the suspension by using virtual private networks to access the service, raising questions of how effective the ban will be.
Sequel to the VPN use, the Nigerian government has ordered federal prosecutors to arrest and prosecute users of the Twitter app, after a ban on the social media company took effect on Friday.
SERAP said: ”We call on MTN, Airtel, Glo, others to reverse the blocking of access to Twitter in Nigeria. This shutdown is without a legal basis, as it fails to meet the standards of necessity and network neutrality. We’ll hold them to account for complicity in right violations.”
Prominent cleric, Enoch Adeboye, the General Overseer of The Redeemed Christian Church of God and spiritual father of Vice President Yemi Osibanjo, took to Twitter shortly after Malami threatened to arrest and prosecute whoever uses Twitter in Nigerian.
“No retreat. No Surrender”, Mr Adeboye tweeted, sharing a video of his message.
Like Mr Adeboye, the senior pastor of Omega Fire Ministry, Johnson Suleman, took to his Twitter page to question how it is possible to arrest people for using Twitter without monitoring them on the same platform.
“You want to arrest anyone still using Twitter?” Mr Suleman asked. “How did you access them if you are not secretly doing the same?. A deaf and dumb puts on ear-piece.!!”