Sahara Reporters Latest News Today Wednesday 9th June 2021
Sahara Reporters Latest News Today and headlines on some of the happenings and news trend in the Country, today 09/06/21
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Whistleblower Wins Case Against Asaba College As Court Sets Aside School’s Decision To Sack Him
Dr. Mrs. Anene-Okeakwa, the Provost of the Federal College of Education (Technical) Asaba, Delta State.
The Presiding Judge, Awka Judicial Division of the National Industrial Court, Justice John Targema has set aside the decision of the Federal College of Education, Asaba to terminate the employment of Joseph Ameh pending the determination of the motion on notice.
Justice Targema also put an order of mandatory injunction meant to compel the registrar, provost, and governing council of the institution to reinstate the name of the Joseph in the payroll in abeyance mode pending the hearing and full determination of the motion on notice.
Dr. Mrs. Anene-Okeakwa, the Provost of the Federal College of Education (Technical) Asaba, Delta State.
In 2020, Ameh, a whistleblower, had revealed corrupt activities and looting going on at the Federal College of Education (Technical), Asaba, Delta State.
Ameh, head of the Physical Planning Division of the college, was fired by the institution after a petition he sent to the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) revealing a series of corrupt activities happening in the institution under the supervision of the Provost, Dr (Mrs) Anene Okeakwa; Acting Director Of Works, Engr Ibhafidon Ehimen; with the support of members of the governing council of the institution.
Joseph said his appointment was terminated on May 13, 2020, on account of his petitions to the ICPC in a bid to silence him.
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He also indicted the ICPC for revealing information to the institution, which eventually led to the termination of his appointment by the college.
He stated that the institution was worried that he was not yielding to the demands to alter or falsify records to divert funds meant for projects in the school.
On Tuesday, at the court hearing, Ameh stated that the defendants, on being served with the substantive suit as well as the motion for interlocutory injunction, decided to undermine and pre-empt the court and had the hidden agenda to foist a fait accompli on the Honourable Court.
In opposition, the institution argued that the letter of termination of Joseph Ameh’s appointment was prepared before filing the case but was not issued to Ameh on the same day he managed to come to school. They also claimed they did not plot to subvert, sabotage, undermine and foist a faith accompli on the Court.
The counsel for the institution, P.O. Ugbo with M.K. Umeana averred that Joseph Ameh has not discharged the very high standard of proof to be entitled to an order for mandatory injunction against the institution.
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The duo stated that the court must be circumspect and neutral by maintaining a balance between the parties and by desisting from making any issues that will finally determine the substantive case which will still be pending before it.
They urged the court to refuse the application in the interest of justice, noting that the claimant’s dismissal was in line with due process.
However, while delivering the ruling, the presiding judge, Justice Targema held that the institution’s termination of Joseph’s appointment after service of court processes on them was not the appropriate thing to do.
He ruled, “The decision by the 1st to 4th defendants to terminate the appointment of the claimant on 13th May, 2020 after the 1st to 4th defendants were served the complaint and motion on notice for an interlocutory injunction (filed on 8th May, 2020) on 11th May, 2020 effectively snuffed life out of the claimant’s originating processes; the rest in this suit.”
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Bandits Kill 30 In Fresh Attack On Zamfara Communities
No fewer than 30 people were on Sunday night killed in renewed bandit attacks on two villages in Zamfara state.
The affected villages were Askawa and Gidan Dannunu in the Zurmu Local Government Area of the state.
SaharaReporters gathered that the gunmen carted away sheep, cows and goats after burning barns as well as looting food items.
Deadly attacks have raged across Zamfara state where bandits have thrived.
Farming and herding communities in the state have long been terrorised by gangs who raid villages, steal cattle and kidnap residents for ransom.
In 2019, the state government entered a peace agreement with gunmen.
About 15 brand new Hilux vehicles and cash gifts were also given to leaders of different ‘repentant’ gangs of bandits by the governor in 2020.
But despite all these, communities in the state are still being attacked and residents kidnapped and/or killed.
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REVEALED: How Malami Downloaded VPN, Logged Into Twitter To Deactivate Account
The Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami (SAN), on Tuesday logged into Twitter and deactivated his account using Virtual Private Networks (VPN), a screenshot posted by the minister has showed.
Malami had on Saturday threatened to prosecute Nigerians who were still using VPN to access the micro blogging platform.
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VPN is a connection that allows users to establish a protected network connection when using public networks.
BREAKING: Nigeriaâ??s Attorney-General Of Federation, Malami, Violates Twitter Ban To Deactivate His Account | Sahara Reporters pic.twitter.com/D3zHennjvF— Sahara Reporters (@SaharaReporters) June 8, 2021
Malami took to his Facebook page on Tuesday, posting a screenshot from the Twitter app showing his account has been deleted.
A clear look at the photo showed that VPN was active on the phone the AGF used for the screenshot.
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The Nigerian government had last Friday banned Twitter after the App deleted a controversial comment made by President Muhammadu Buhari, in which he made reference to the Nigerian Civil War, which many Nigerians described as distasteful.
The Kaduna state governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, a staunch supporter of the present regime, also tweeted on Sunday despite the ban.
Amidst the public outcry and criticism that followed the government’s decision, Malami had on Saturday directed the Director of Public Prosecutions in his office to begin the process of prosecuting violators of the government suspension order.
Despite his threat, many Nigerians have been using VPN to access Twitter.
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E2%80%94-ipob-lawyer How I Survived Army, Police Invasion Of My Residence When They Killed My Aide — IPOB Lawyer, Ejiofor
Ifeanyi Ejiofor
The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) lawyer, Ifeanyi Ejiofor, whose residence was invaded at the weekend by armed policemen and soldiers has recounted his ugly experience in the hands of the security personnel.
In a statement on Tuesday, Ejiofor thanked a former Minister of Aviation and Peoples Democratic Party chieftain, Femi Fani-Kayode, as well as his friends in the Nigerian Bar Association who alerted him and stood by him during the hours of invasion.
Ifeanyi Ejiofor
He said, “I must deeply appreciate the untiring efforts of my client, friend and in-law, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode for defying sleep at that wee hours of the night when he got the SOS from me, to alert the world and those that mattered on the bloody attack/invasion of my peaceful home by those whose primary duty is to secure lives and properties.
“I want to specially thank my people of good conscience, particularly the members of my noble Association (NBA), the erudite President of the Bar (Mr. Olumide Akpata) who was consistently checking on me and keeping touch at the hit of this turbulent hours.
“Very unfortunately, the well planned premeditated attack on my ancestral home resulted in the brutal murder of my long standing personal aide, (Samuel Okoro, aka Gentle Biggy), who was shot and consequently injected with lethal substance before being set ablaze in my car, which the demons in uniform made away with on this black Sunday.
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“But, be assured that I have more than enough evidence to demonstrate to the world that the uniformed invaders/assailants actually came to assasinate me and every living object in my ancestral home, unprovoked or the second time in less than two years, in the wee hours of Sunday, 6th June 2021.
“I had waited for 24 hours for those that invaded my home to tell the world their true mission to my peaceful residential home in Umunakwa Ifite, Oraifite, Ekwusigo LGA of Anambra State, but nothing is forthcoming. Hence, mine will be coming in stages as I had assured.”
Ejiofor added that he went home on Saturday because the Catholic Arch Bishop of Onitsha Province (Most Rev. Valerian Okeke) wanted to see him in a meeting which he thought would be a private one.
He said, “I honoured this invitation where His Grace raised a number of pertinent issues and consequently, commended me for my untiring efforts towards achieving peace in our region. His Grace prayed for me and equally offered further useful advise. We agreed for a formal meeting where major stakeholders will be notified and equally be represented. I left the Bishop’s court, but not until His Grace blessed me for the umpteenth time, and prayed for me and my friend who was in my company.
“I was in a deep sleep when the demons struck. The barking of my security dogs and sounds of gun in and around my home could simply tell me that there was danger and unusual movement in my peaceful home.
“Initially, I couldn’t fathom what the problem could be but what I know and can tell the public on this part of my press release is that they will hear it all with impeccable evidence to demonstrate the atrocities that were committed in my peaceful home by paid agents of darkness.
“I saw as it all happened, it was like a movie. I saw and overheard them directing my domestic staff who never resisted them in any manner to take them upstairs where their Oga was sleeping at the time, but my staff kept on telling them that ‘Oga is not in this house’. Shooting and heavy beating were simultaneously going on, the time was 2:30am in the morning. I saw Biggie on the ground being beaten and shot at, before somebody, presumably a medical doctor in their company, injected him with what I believe to be a lethal substance.
“The lifeless body of Biggie was dragged on the floor of my compound to my parked car. My driver who apparently was in possessions of my car keys at the time was ordered at gunpoint to produce to open the booth of the car where his body was dumped.
“Efforts by this band of murderers to access where I had hidden in order to finish the job for which they came proved abortive as they couldn’t breach the multiple bullet proof doors leading to where I took refuge. The native doctor they brought along with them, was armed with all sorts of charms and he was busy making incantations and directing them to where he felt I was.
“Midway into their murderous invasion of my home, their search for me was suddenly stopped and they consequently vanished with my harmless and innocent staff they abducted, including the lifeless body of Biggie. These evil men left my house around 3:45am having killed, vandalizmsed and terrorised my household for over an hour and 15 minutes.
“They stole my car and left my home along with over 15 Hilux vans, Toyota Hiace buses and Armoured Personnel Carrier, they came with. On getting to Okacha filling station in Neni, they dragged out my elder brother, Mr. Joel Ejiofor, who was equally abducted during the invasion and directed him to disappear from their sight.
“It was after my brother left, that my car was set ablaze with Mr. Samuel Okoro inside the car. He was not only killed by these soulless beasts, his body was burnt beyond recognition. I wish to ask those that directed this criminal and deadly invasion of my house, to tell me what crime Samuel Okoro committed.
“For the records, the late Mr. Samuel Okoro hailed from Ebonyi State and has been with me for the past four years. He was a brother, a dependable friend and a refined gentlemen. I will forever miss him.
“While struggling to control myself at this point in time, I am indeed broken and traumatised, not that I committed any offence known to law or that Samuel Okoro even did anything wrong, but because he was murdered in the most bizarre, barbaric, brutal and heinous manner.”
Ejiofor added that he had been the general counsel for IPOB and its leader, Nnamdi Kanu since 2015, and the proscription of IPOB was still a subject of appeal.
He continued, “The questions begging for answers which I want the invaders to answer are, who sent them to my ancestral home because they carefully monitored me until I moved in on that fateful day?
“I spent virtually a week in Abuja before returning home, why didn’t they arrest me in Abuja where I live or even invite me to appear before them for questioning if I was being investigated for committing any offence?
“Why my home for the second time? Why me? Who funded this bloody exercise? Who is actually after my life? Why the invasion of the residence of a Senior member of the Bar at such an ungodly hour of the night?
“From what I gathered, the sinister purpose is clear, the directive is clear, arrest him alive or dead and burn him alive. I will give further details on this subsequently.”
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Nigerian Pastor On The Run With Church Money Contributed To Buy Musical Instruments
Front view of a church
Pastor Tony Ugochukwu of Blaze of Fire Ministry in Sapele, Delta State has reportedly run away with some amount of money gathered for the church’s instruments.
SaharaReporters gathered that Ugochukwu, said to frequently speak in tongues, is the lead pastor of the Amukpe branch of the church.
Front view of a church
The pastor who hails from Owerri, Imo State has been declared wanted by the church after they could not reach him on the phone for two days.
A source said “the money was gathered for the sole purpose of buying (musical) instruments for the church”.
It was also discovered that the absconded pastor did not reveal his real identity to the church. He told people his name was Tony Ugochukwu but the church later found out that his real name is Valentine Omeire.
Meanwhile, the case has been reported to the police in Sapele.
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Give Me Licence To Buy Ak-47s For Amotekun Corps, Governor Makinde Laments Killings In Oyo Community
Seyi Makinde
Three days after about fifteen residents of Igangan, Ibarapa North Local Government Area of Oyo state were killed, Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde visited the scene of the massacre.
Makinde, who was lamented the level of destruction in the community, called on the Federal Government to permit governors in the South-West to equip Amotekun Corps with sophisticated weapons, such as AK-47, to tackle rising insecurity, especially banditry and kidnapping in the geo-political zone.
Seyi Makinde
SaharaReporters earlier reported that some gunmen numbering about 100, suspected to be Fulani herdsmen, invaded Igangan community, killing people and burning residents.
Makinde made the disclosure in the keynote address that he presented at the opening of the two-day 2021 Governor Seyi Makinde National Democracy Summit, with the theme: ‘The Future of Democracy in Nigeria,’ held at the International Conference Centre, University of Ibadan.
The governor, who said he took responsibility for the incident, however, expressed frustration with the challenges being faced by governors who are called chief security officers of their states but lack the required power.
He said: “With what happened at Igangan, the people can hold me responsible for letting them down and when I go there, I will take responsibility because those killings were really needless. Even though I continue to take responsibility for the security situation in Oyo State, we all know that, in reality, the Commissioner of Police has to wait for orders from ‘above’ before taking specific actions to benefit the local population.
“So, looking at the federal security agencies here in Oyo State, they have to get clearance from the Federal government. We will continue to do our best. Here in the South West, we were able to kickstart Amotekun. But even with Amotekun, people ask how the killings happened. Were they not there? But we have several limitations to what Amotekun can do and even the firearms they can carry.
“You have dane guns and you are faced with people carrying AK-47. If it is in terms of investment, if we are given the authority, I will also buy AK-47s for Amotekun, if given the licence.”
“State policing is a sure cure to our national development challenges. Anyone who has been involved in security at any level will tell you that policing is local. One of the reasons why the Western Nigeria Security Network, code-named Amotekun, is recording success is because members of the corps are drawn from the locality. They know the terrain and so can gather needed intelligence. Also, they can be held accountable by the local people because they know them.
“So, when state governors become the actual chief security officers in charge of the security personnel in their states, they can quickly respond to security challenges.”
Makinde noted further that “we are the Federal Republic of Nigeria, but our federalism exists in name only. Students of political history will tell you that what we have been practising is, in fact, a unitary system of government – where more powers are concentrated in the central government. Another thing that our political theorists will tell you is that by nature, a unitary system of government is better suited for small countries.
“Nigeria is not a small country. So, you can easily identify why we are experiencing developmental challenges across the board. We are trying to fit a square peg into a round hole. For true federalism to thrive, the federating units should have more powers and autonomy. The government at the centre serves as a coordinator of assets but does not wield as much power.”
The summit was also graced by dignitaries including former governor of Edo State, Prof Oserheimen Osunbor; former Minister of State for Agriculture, Otunba Bamidele Dada; Director General, Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA), Prof Eghosa Osaghae; President of Apex Yoruba self-determination group, Prof Banji Akintoye; Secretary-General, Yoruba Council of Elders (YCE), Dr. Kunle Olajide; and former deputy governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Dr. Obadiah Mailafia.
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E2%80%99s-attorney-general-federation-malami-violates-twitter-ban-deactivate-his BREAKING: Nigeria’s Attorney-General Of Federation, Malami, Violates Twitter Ban To Deactivate His Account
Nigeria’s Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), Abubakar Malami, has defied the Nigerian government’s Twitter ban.
Nigerian government banned Twitter last Friday after the App deleted a controversial comment made by President Muhammadu Buhari, in which he made reference to the Nigerian Civil War, which many Nigerians described as distasteful.
The Kaduna state governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, a staunch supporter of the present regime, also tweeted on Sunday despite the ban.
Amidst the public outcry and criticism that followed the government’s decision, Malami had on Saturday directed the Director of Public Prosecutions in his office to begin the process of prosecuting violators of the government suspension order.
Despite his threat, many Nigerians have been using Virtual Private Networks to access Twitter.
In a post on his verified Facebook page on Tuesday, the Attorney General posted a screenshot from the Twitter app showing his account has been deleted.
“My Twitter account deactivated,” he wrote.
However, checks by SaharaReporters showed that a Twitter account can’t be deactivated unless you have access to the app, meaning Malami must have logged in to deactivate it.
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How Four Nigerians Robbed Saudi Man, Tortured Him By Pouring Hot Water On His Private Parts
File photo used to illustrate story.
Four Nigerians have been sentenced to three years’ imprisonment for luring a Saudi Arabian man to an apartment through a dating application and robbing him.
All the Nigerians tried were aged between 24 and 35 but they were not identified.
File photo used to illustrate story.
The gang not only stole the victim’s money, they burnt his private parts with boiling water, according to Gulf News.
The Dubai Court of First Instance heard that the 37-year-old man from Saudi Arabia, was lured into an apartment in Al Barsha through a dating app in June last year.
He was locked inside the apartment for three hours where the three Nigerian women and their countrymen beat him up and burnt him with boiling water.
“I received a message from a woman through the app asking to meet. An African woman opened the door and claimed the woman will be back and she asked me to wait for her,” said the Saudi man in official records.
He said around four or five women joined the four Nigerian men to attack him. They tied his hands and stripped him, while a woman, who is still at large, poured boiling water on his groin and others were recording.
“They continued to torture me, hitting me in the eyes and ears. They wanted me to open the bank’s application on my smartphone and wanted the passcodes for my credit cards.”
He resisted for a while, but at the end gave up and gave the passcode.
Three women thereafter went to the ATM to withdraw the money but returned telling him the passcode was wrong and poured more boiling water on his body, causing him second degree burns.
The man fainted and when he regained his consciousness, he found two men in the apartment.
The men also left the place and the man managed to reach the road to see a police patrol speaking with an Indian man, who was also complaining after the gang attacked him with a similar modus operandi and stole his money.
The Saudi man was transferred to Rashid Hospital. Medical reports said the man was left with a 10 per cent permanent disability due to the assault.
Dubai Public Prosecution charged the defendants with confinement, theft, sexual abuse, physical assault, causing a disability and issuing threats.
They were sentenced to three years in jail to be followed by deportation. They were additionally slapped with a fine of Dh2,400.
The case was first heard in February.
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Police Storm Suspected ESN Camp In Imo, Rescue Abducted Policewoman
The camp of the Eastern Security Network (ESN), the militant arm of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) at Akabo, Ikediru Local Government Area of Imo State, has been dislodged by the Nigeria police.
The operation was led by the Inspector General of Police Intelligence Response Team, DCP Abba Kyari, and other security operatives on Tuesday.
During the operation, a policewoman allegedly held captive by the dislodged ESN men, was reportedly freed.
ESN has been blamed by the government and security agencies for causing unrest in the South-East and attacking public facilities there.
But the leader of IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu, has denied the allegations, saying ESN was formed to curb attacks by herdsmen in the region.
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SERAP, Falana, Others Drag Nigerian Government To ECOWAS Court Over Unlawful Suspension Of Twitter
Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project and 176 concerned Nigerians have filed a lawsuit against the government of President Muhammadu Buhari over the indefinite suspension of microblogging platform, Twitter.
This was disclosed in a tweet on SERAP’s Twitter page on Tuesday.
The group filed the lawsuit against the Nigerian government over, ‘the unlawful suspension of Twitter in Nigeria, criminalization of Nigerians and other people using Twitter, and the escalating repression of human rights, particularly the rights to freedom of expression, access to information, and media freedom in the country’.
Following the deletion of President Muhammadu Buhari’s tweet, the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed last Friday, announced the suspension of Twitter in Nigeria.
The government had also threatened to arrest and prosecute anyone using Twitter in the country, while the National Broadcasting Commission has asked all broadcast stations to suspend the patronage of Twitter.
In the suit No ECW/CCJ/APP/23/21 filed on Tuesday before the ECOWAS Community Court of Justice in Abuja, SERAP and the concerned Nigerians are seeking an order of interim injunction restraining the Federal Government from implementing its suspension of Twitter in Nigeria.
In the suit filed by Solicitor to SERAP, Femi Falana (SAN), the Plaintiffs argued, “if this application is not urgently granted, the Federal Government will continue to arbitrarily suspend Twitter and threaten to impose criminal and other sanctions on Nigerians, telecommunication companies, media houses, broadcast stations and other people using Twitter in Nigeria, the perpetual order sought in this suit might be rendered nugatory.”
The suit, read in part: “The suspension of Twitter is aimed at intimidating and stopping Nigerians from using Twitter and other social media platforms to assess government policies, expose corruption, and criticize acts of official impunity by the agents of the Federal Government.
“The free communication of information and ideas about public and political issues between citizens and elected representatives is essential. This implies a free press and other media able to comment on public issues without censor or restraints and to inform public opinion. The public also has a corresponding right to receive media output.
“Freedom of expression is a fundamental human right and the full enjoyment of this right is central to achieving individual freedom and to developing democracy. It is not only the cornerstone of democracy but indispensable to a thriving civil society.
“The arbitrary action by the Federal Government and its agents have negatively impacted millions of Nigerians who carry on their daily businesses and operational activities on Twitter. The suspension has also impeded the freedom of expression of millions of Nigerians, who criticize and influence government policies through the microblogging app.
“The suspension of Twitter is arbitrary, and there is no law in Nigeria today permitting the prosecution of people simply for peacefully exercising their human rights through Twitter and other social media platforms.
“The suspension and threat of prosecution by the Federal Government constitute a fundamental breach of the country’s international human rights obligations including under Article 9 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and Article 19 of International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights to which Nigeria is a state party.
“The suspension has seriously undermined the ability of Nigerians and other people in the country to freely express themselves in a democracy and undermined the ability of journalists, media houses, broadcast stations, and other people to freely carry out their professional duties.
“A lot of Nigerians at home and abroad rely on Twitter coverage of topical issues of public interest to access impartial, objective and critical information about ideas and views on how the Nigerian government is performing its constitutional and international human rights obligations.
“The implication of the decline in freedom of expression in Nigeria is that the country is today ranked alongside countries hostile to human rights and media freedom such as Afghanistan, Chad, the Philippines, Saudi Arabia, Zimbabwe and Colombia.”
SERAP and the concerned Nigerians have asked the ECOWAS Court of Justice for the following reliefs:
”A declaration that the action of the Defendant and its agents in suspending the operation of Twitter or any other social media and microblogging application without an order of a competent court of jurisdiction is unlawful, inconsistent and incompatible with Article 9 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and Article 19 of International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
“A declaration that the act of the Defendant in mandating its agent to commence and continue to regulate the social media in Nigeria amounts to restriction and censorship, thus violating Nigeria’s obligations under the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and Article 19 of International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
“A declaration that the act of the Defendant and its agents in suspending the operation of Twitter or any other social media and microblogging application in Nigeria without any offence known to law is incompatible with Nigeria’s international human rights obligations, and are therefore null and void to the extent of their inconsistency and incompatibility.
“A declaration that the directive by the Defendant, through the National Broadcasting Commission, directing and ‘advising’ broadcast stations to deactivate their Twitter accounts and discontinue its use is a breach of the citizens’ right to freedom of expression, access to information as well as media freedom, and therefore, null and void.
“A declaration that the act of the Defendant to frequently threaten Nigerians and other people who use Twitter and/or other social microblogging applications in Nigeria with criminal prosecution and the actual act of suspending the operations of Twitter in Nigeria, violates the principle that there is no punishment without law, and the right to a fair hearing, and therefore, null and void.
“An order setting aside the suspension, ban sanction or other punishments whatsoever imposed on Twitter, Nigerians, media houses, broadcast stations and any social media service providers by the Defendant and its agents.
“An order directing the Defendant and its agents to immediately revoke, withdraw and/or rescind their suspension or ban of Twitter and/or any other social media service provider(s) in Nigeria in line with Nigeria’s obligations under the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the Revised ECOWAS Treaty 1993.
“An order of perpetual injunction restraining the Defendant and its agents from unlawfully imposing sanctions and other punishment including criminal prosecution or doing anything whatsoever to harass Twitter, broadcast stations, Nigerians and other people and any social media service provider(s), and media houses who are Twitter users.”
No date has been fixed for the hearing of the interim application and the substantive suit.
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