Nigeria seems to be living out the frictional work of Anesi Okoro titled One week One trouble as the country is once again in an uproar due to the latest actions of its government.
The indefinite Twitter ban by the Federal Government of Nigeria on Friday, the 4th of June is the reason for the agitation in the country.
Several calls have been made from both international and local bodies to the Federal Government to reverse the ban as it impedes human and civil rights.
Also read, Twitter Ban: ISN calls on Federal Government to review its Position
The Governor of Oyo State, Seyi Makinde also lent his voice as he expressed in a statement he released on his social media handles on the 5th of June.
“As leaders, we should go beyond emotional reaction to issues and think of how our actions will affect the people we lead and our international ratings socially and economically”
Twitter has become the platform for young people and indeed all Nigerians to exercise their fundamental rights, while expressing and publish their opinion.
They use the platform to complain, argue and give feedback to the government and its agencies who in turn, use these to improve policies.
The Twitter indefinite suspension makes one wonder if truly none of the decisions of the Nigerian Government are made with the interest of the citizens at heart.
Also read: 4 Socio-economic Implications of FG’s Suspension of Twitter in Nigeria
At first, it was Cryptocurrency which is a major source of income and financial transaction tool for business owners that was banned, and now Twitter.
The government is yet to release another statement in light of its actions. Even Twitter has released a statement through its Public Policy handle on Saturday, June 5, 2021, stating that;
“We are deeply concerned by the blocking of Twitter in Nigeria. Access to the free and #OpenInternet is an essential human right in modern society.
We will work to restore access for all those in Nigeria who rely on Twitter to communicate and connect with the world”.
How do we move from here?
Most Nigerians have resorted to the use of Virtual Private Network (VPN), as some of the telcos have already implemented restrictions on their users.
Also read, Twitter Ban: How VPN can keep Nigerians Anonymous
Despite the use of Virtual Private Network (VPN), there are still other measures to take. While we await the next decisions, do the following:
- Endeavor that you are security conscious at all times, avoid dark lonely places
- Always turn off your VPN when you are not using it. Running some online transactions will be a problem if your VPN is on, especially financial transactions.
- Avoid open discussions and arguments about twitter especially with unidentified people as it will most likely result in a problem for you rather than bring a solution to the problem.
- If stopped by any military personnel, don’t act brashly.
Observe these few guidelines as we await the next steps.
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