Following the ban on the activities of Twitter in Nigeria, the federal government has directed all broadcast stations in the country to disengage from the microblogging platform.
This development was contained in a memo by Armstong Idachaba, Director-General of the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), issued to media houses in the country.
Idachaba noted that it would be unpatriotic for any broadcaster in Nigeria to continue to patronize the suspended Twitter as a source of its information.
According to him, section 2 (1) of the NBC Act entrusts the Commission with the responsibility to ensure strict adherence to the national laws, rules and regulations.
“Consequent on the suspension of Twitter operations in Nigeria by the Federal Government over the persistent use of the platform for activities that are capable of undermining the corporate existence of Nigeria,
“Therefore, strict compliance is enjoined and in Compliance to the above directive, Broadcasting Stations are hereby advised to de-install Twitter handles.
“They are to desist from using Twitter as a source of information gathering for News and programs Presentation especially Phone-in.
“Also, section 3.11.2 of the Nigeria Broadcasting Code provides that the broadcaster shall ensure that law enforcement is upheld at all times in a matter depicting that law and order are socially superior to or more desirable than Crime and Anarchy.
“Attention is also drawn to section 5.6.3 of the code which requires broadcasters to be mindful of materials that may cause disaffection, incite to panic or rift in the society in the use of a user generated Content (UGC),” the statement shared by the News Agency of Nigeria read in part.
It would be recalled that on June 4, 2021, the Federal Government suspended, indefinitely, the operations of Twitter in Nigeria.
The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, in a statement issued by the Ministry’s spokesperson, Segun Adeyemi, stated that the development was connected to the persistent use of the platform for activities that are capable of undermining Nigeria’s corporate existence.
“The Federal Government has also directed the NBC to immediately begin the process of licensing all Over-The-Top (OTT) and social media operations in Nigeria,” the statement on the ban of Twitter read.
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