NBC Orders Broadcast Houses To Close Twitter Accounts

By Uche Mbah

The National Broadcasting Commission, NBC, has, on the order of the Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed, directed all Broadcast stations in the country to close their Twitter account following the ban on the social media outlet.

Ekanem Antie, NBC Director of Public Affairs, released the statement on behalf of Armstrong Idachaba, the Director General of NBC. The statement was made available newsmen in Abuja Monday.

Idachaba said all Broadcast stations should “desist from using twitter as a source (UGC) of Information gathering for news and programs’ presentation, especially, phone in.”

The Nigerian Government had banned Twitter in Nigeria, accusing it of condoning hateful attacks on the Government, but deliberately taking down President Muhammadu Buhari’s Post.

Also unconfirmed reports indicate that Government has gone far in negotiations with the Chinese Government to help them in checking the continued use of Twitter via VPN.

But since the ban, Human Rights Organisations and the International Community had condemned the act as  assault on free speech. Though the platform was suspended, most tweeting Nigerians, including Media Houses, have continued to tweet, bypassing the ban using VPN, an app that allows tweeters to hide their true location on the internet.