Nigerian rights group asks government to publish Twitter agreement on restoration of services

A Nigerian rights group has asked the High Court to compel the government to publish an agreement with Twitter that resulted in the social media company’s services being restored last month after a six-month ban.

Last June, Nigeria suspended Twitter after the US company removed a post by President Muhammadu Buhari threatening to punish regional secessionists.

The Nigerian government lifted the ban last month after Twitter agreed to open a local office and collaborate with the government to develop a code of conduct, among other agreements.

The Socio Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) announced on Sunday that it had filed a lawsuit to compel President Buhari and his information minister, Lai Mohammed, to publish a copy of the agreement in order to ensure that it did not include provisions that could jeopardize freedom of expression.

“Publishing the agreement would allow Nigerians to scrutinize it, seek appropriate legal remedies, and ensure that the conditions for lifting Twitter’s suspension are not used as pretexts to suppress legitimate discourse,” a copy of the court challenge stated.

According to SERAP, the government ignored its request for a copy of the agreement in January.

The presidency and the Ministry of Information did not respond immediately.

Last June, SERAP and other organizations went to court to challenge the Twitter ban, claiming that it violated human rights.

The Court of Justice of the Economic Community of West African States is expected to make a decision this week on SERAP’s challenge to the Twitter ban. The government, on the other hand, wants the court to dismiss the case, claiming that it has been overtaken by events.