The Department of State Services (DSS) must immediately withdraw its shocking demand to X (formerly known as Twitter) for the removal of human rights defender Omoyele Sowore’s post critical of President Bola Tinubu. The X platform had already notified Sowore about this brazen attempt to silence critical voices and generate a climate of fear on Nigeria’s social media space.
Nigerian authorities’ demand for the deactivation of Sowore’s X account goes too far, and is outrageous, while clearly showing a desperate attempt at censorship and abuse of power.
The DSS targeting of Sowore’s X account is being done without any legal justification, as recognized under international human rights law and that this represents a violation of Nigeria’s obligations under the Nigerian Constitution 1999 [as amended] the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. Nigeria has ratified both human rights treaties.
Nigerian authorities must refrain from violating human rights online, including the rights to freedom of expression and privacy and fulfil their constitutional and international human rights obligations.
On its part, X must not yield to censorship demands of Nigerian government, through targeting of the voices of activists, and must do all in its power to protect freedom of expression on its platform.
