Renowned journalist tackles AGF, Malami for threatening to prosecute violators of Twitter ban

Renowned journalist, Chief Dele Momodu has replied the Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami for ordering the prosecution of everyone who is found to have violated the Twitter ban in Nigeria.

In an exclusive chat with The Boss, Momodu hinted that it would be most appropriate if Malami’s order is brought before a competent court of law, adding that as a global business man, he as well as many others employ and pay persons, who run and have access to their social media accounts.

He further informed the Minister, who in recent times have been mentioned in one scandal after another, that ‘henceforth, my staff will tweet for me from their various locations’ asking ‘Will I stop my business in England or Ghana or the US because you’ve banned Twitter in Nigeria?’

He said: “It would be nice to test this matter in a Law court earnestly. Some of us run global business and pay people who have access to our platforms and can run and operate our social media accounts from anywhere… Will I stop my business in England or Ghana or the US because you’ve banned Twitter in Nigeria? Henceforth, my staff will tweet for me from their various locations…”

On Tuesday, President Muhammadu Buhari tweeted his intention to treat secessionists ‘in the language they understand’, while alluding to the civil war fought between 1967 and 1970 in which over one million people of Igbo race were killed.

Acting swiftly, Twitter took down the post for violating one of its rules, and suspended the president’s account for 12 hours. The Nigerian government responded by ordering a blanket ban on Twitter operations in Nigeria.

However, many Nigerians have reacted angrily to the ban while many others have resorted to VPN alternative to continue using the app.

As a result therefore, Malami ordered the Director of Public Prosecution of the Federation (DPPF) to as a matter of urgency prosecute anyone found to still be using the banned app in the country.

The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) under the chairmanship of Olumide Akpata, has vowed to challenge Buhari’s action in court just as the likes Oyo State governor, Seyi Makinde, has appealed to Buhari’s government to lift the ban.