A Lagos-based radio station, RadioNow 95.3FM, says it will comply with the National Broadcasting Commission’s directive for broadcast stations to deactivate their Twitter accounts, but argues that the order may be illegal.
The radio said it will consult with its lawyers after the NBC warned that “it will be unpatriotic for any broadcaster in Nigeria to continue to patronize the suspended Twitter.”
“We believe this amounts to an attack on the media and freedom of speech, both of which are guaranteed by the Constitution of Nigeria,” a statement by the executive director of the radio station, Kadaria Ahmed, read.
Ms Ahmed noted that section 39(1) guarantees freedom of expression as a fundamental right.
“Section 22 of Nigeria’s constitution guarantees press freedom by stating that the press, radio, television, and other agencies of the mass media shall at all time be free to uphold the fundamental objectives contained in this chapter and uphold the responsibility and accountability of the government to the people,” she added.
She further explained that while the station will comply with the order, it will also engage with its lawyers on the legality of the order.
The NBC order followed the federal government’s suspension of the microblogging platform’s activities in Nigeria.
The suspension was a sequel to Twitter’s deletion of President Muhammadu Buhari’s controversial tweet about the civil war after some Nigerian users flagged it.
As a result of the ban, Nigerians have been denied access to Twitter and can only access by bypassing domain restrictions through alternative mediums.
Although the presidency says the ban is temporary and an attempt to curb fake news, human rights groups and foreign missions have berated the President Buhari-led administration for censorship, calling for a reversal of the suspension.
