Nigeria’s Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, has made it known that the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), has the right and the prerogative to prosecute anyone who violates the ban on Twitter by the Federal Government in Nigeria.
According to him, the likes of Pastors Enoch Adeboye and William Kumuyi make the list.
The Minister, stated this while responding to questions on BBC’s Focus on Africa recently.
He was reacting to Adeboye, the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) and his Deeper Life Bible Church colleague, Kumuyi, tweeting while defying the ban.
He disclosed that Malami had made it clear that anybody, irrespective of how he or she highly placed, can be arrested and prosecuted.
Adeboye had, earlier taken to Twitter to tweet his thought about the ban and insisted that in line with Article 19 of the UN universal declaration of human rights, he had not violated the ban.
The tweet read: “The Redeemed Christian Church of God is domiciled in more than 170 Nations & Territories. The tweets here are in accordance to Article 19 of the UN universal declaration of Human Rights.”
In the same vein, Kumuyi also defied the ban and said tweets posted on his page are targeted at a global audience in over 5 continents and over 100 nations.
Kumuyi’s tweet read: “In view of the Twitter ban in Nigeria, please note that the content shared on this handle is targeted at a global audience in more than 5 continents and over 100 Nations and we share the content from any of these locations.”
While responding, the Information Mi ister said: “The Attorney-General has made it clear that if anyone violates the regulation, that such person will be prosecuted.
“I think it is the right of the Attorney-General to decide who to prosecute.
“The government has suspended indefinitely, the operations of Twitter in Nigeria because of the persistent use of the platform for activities that are capable of undermining Nigeria’s corporate existence and the government.
“The government has also directed the National Broadcasting Commission to immediately commence the process of licencing all social media operations in Nigeria.”
