TheNewsGuru

Tag: Lai Mohammed

  • Twitter suspension lawful – FG

    Twitter suspension lawful – FG

    The Federal Government has said that its decision to suspend the activities of Twitter is well founded in law and it has not breach the citizens’ rights by so doing.

    The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed made this known in a presentation to the House of Representatives Joint Committee on the Suspension of Twitter in Nigeria.

    In the presentation, the minister contended that Twitter activity in the country is in violation of public interest and negate some provisions of Terrorism Act as well as Companies and Allied Matters Act (CAMA).

    The minister said Twitter suspension is in line with national and international laws which give Nigeria the power to regulate its cyber space and give all necessary orders designating any computer system, network or application as forming part of its national infrastructure.

    Mohammed, a lawyer, contended the freedom of expression guaranteed in Section 39 of the 1999 Constitution is not absolute.

    He explained that Section 49 of the same Constitution permits restrictions of civil liberties in the public interest stressing,“public Interest takes precedent over individual interest’’.

    “The operations of Twitter in the Nigerian social space is not legally permissible when it is used in airing of information that endangers the life and security of the majority of citizens of Nigeria.

    “This is in light of the fact that the platform affords IPOB, an organisation already proscribed by the Federal High Court, to champion its seditious and terrorist based activities

    “The principles of law are clear on the exercise of personal human rights in the face of national security threats which affects the larger citizen,’’ he said.

    The minister also argued that the federal government is empowered to take all reasonable steps to defend its cyber space where it perceives or finds that a Cyber-crime, is threatened to be committed or has been committed.

    He said both national and international statutes empower the federal government to regulate and promote the security of the Nigerian cyber space, including but not limited to organisation and user’s assets.

    “Organisation and ​user’s assets include connected computing devices, personnel, infrastructure, applications, services and telecommunications systems.

    “It also included the totality of transmitted and/or stored ​information within the Nigerian cyber-Space/environment including social media such as Twitter, Facebook…, applications, internet platforms, and cloud computing platforms,’’ he said.

    Mohammed stressed that where a seditious act has been committed against the Federal Government through the Cyber Space the perpetrators shall be liable.

    The minister noted that the rights to freedom of expression on the Twitter platform is qualified by the provisions of sections 5(1) and (2) of the Terrorism Act of 2011.

    He said the sections provide that any person who directly or indirectly solicit or render support for commission of an act of terrorism commits an offence liable on conviction to not less than 20 years.

    “This include incitement to commit a terrorist act through the internet or any electronic means or through the use of printed materials or through the dissemination of terrorist information”.

    Mohammed said the operation of Twitter as business entity in Nigeria without fulfilling the conditions precedent by registering with the Corporate Affairs Commission is illegal.

    He said CAMA, the primary law governing businesses in Nigeria provides that a foreign company must take necessary steps to obtain incorporation as a separate entity before engaging in any business.

    “Until so incorporated, the foreign company shall not carry on business in Nigeria or exercise any powers of a registered company as provides in Section 78 (1) of CAMA, 2020.

    “Hence, flowing from this background a foreign Company as Twitter cannot be clothed with the legitimate rights to operate as a company registered in Nigeria, as they are not licensed accordingly,’’ he said.

    The minister said that the State Security Services (SSS) which provided the lawful basis for the suspension of Twitter acted in line with its power of prevention and detection of any crime against the internal security of Nigeria.

    He reiterated government position to the committee that the ban on the operation of the micro blogging platform, Twitter, is in the interest of the country.

    The Federal Government on June 4 suspended indefinitely, the operations of the micro-blogging and social networking service, Twitter in Nigeria.

    Mohammed who announced the suspension cited the persistent use of the platform for activities capable of undermining Nigeria’s corporate existence.

    He said the Federal Government had also directed the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) to immediately commence the process of licensing all Over the Top (OTT) and social media operations in the country.

    Following the outcry that greeted the suspension by a section of Nigerians the House of Representatives had referred the case to the joint committee which in turn summoned the minister for interrogation.

  • FG insists Twitter ban is in Nigeria’s interest

    FG insists Twitter ban is in Nigeria’s interest

    Alhaji, Lai Mohammed, the Minister of Information, Culture and Tourism, has said that the Federal Government’s ban on Twitter’s operations was in the country’s interest.

    The minister, who stated this when he appeared before the House Committee on Information on Tuesday, in Abuja, cited various sections of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in support of the action that was officially taken in the light of the security challenges facing the country.

    Mohammed said the Federal Government had begun talks with the micro-blogging site to resolve the matter, adding, however, that until then, the platform remained banned.

    On June 4, the Federal Government placed a ban on the operations of Twitter, on the grounds that the social media platform was being used as a tool for destabilising the country.

    Rep Shaba Ibrahim (PDP-Kogi), a member of the committee, observed that anything would pale into insignificance where national interest and security were at stake.

    He said that the minister did a good rendition of the legal framework that supported the steps taken, adding that allowing such infractions by Twitter to go unchecked, until the President’s tweet was taken down, amounted to a disservice to the country.

    Another committee member, Fatuhu Mohammed (APC-Katsina), called for the regulation of social media because the time had come for the country to face up to the real issues confronting it.

    He added that if the Minister had not banned Twitter, with the permission of Mr President, the kind of insults to the sovereignty of Nigeria, coming from its users, was worrisome.

    Similarly, Rep. Chinedu Ogah (APC-Ebonyi), also a member of the committee, stated that if the law regulating social media had been implemented, the activities of the micro-blogging site would have been checked.

    “For example, in China, social media is being regulated and such a thing is not in Nigeria, and we have all those agencies that are capable of the regulation in the country.

  • Twitter ban: Our laws cannot be subservient to international laws – Lai Mohammed

    Twitter ban: Our laws cannot be subservient to international laws – Lai Mohammed

    Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed has said Nigerian laws cannot be subservient to international laws.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports Mohammed stated this in his presentation at an ongoing public hearing by the House of Representatives Committee on Information to amend National Broadcasting Commission, (NBC) Act.

    The minister apparently referring to the imbroglio between the Federal Government and Twitter in his presentation vehemently resisted domestication of international laws in Nigeria.

    “It’s true that we are part of the Telecoms Union treaty but our laws cannot be subservient to the Telecoms treaty because of our peculiar nature has to be considered,” Mohammed said.

    He further explained that Section 2C talks about the commission, says we can receive, process application of radio, cable television, direct satellite but I want to add specifically including all online to be included.

    He was reminded by Reps that Twitter should be included and the minister quickly replied “yes including Twitter”.

  • Twitter ban: No platform should cause war here- Lai Mohammed

    Twitter ban: No platform should cause war here- Lai Mohammed

    The Federal Government on Tuesday stated that Twitter had formally written to seek dialogue with Nigerian government on issues leading to the indefinite suspension of its operations in the country.

    The minister of information and culture , Lai Mohammed made this known when he featured on ‘Politics Nationwide,’ a call-in programme of the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria.

    “I can confirm that Twitter has written the Federal Government that they are ready to talk.

    As we have always maintained, the door is not locked and we are open minded but Twitter must work toward it,” he said.

    While restating the government’s position that it would not any platform to be used to threaten the country’s stability, the minister said, among other conditions for Twitter to resume operation in Nigeria, there must be an agreement as to what contents it could allow.

    The minister said, “Singapore, Algeria, Pakistan, Turkey regulate the social media, Australia has done so. Even the EU that does not have particular laws on social media has made recommendations in a white paper.”

    Mohammed said that regulation of the social media was not synonymous with stifling press freedom.

    “The suspension of Twitter is to ensure that no particular platform is used to cause war in Nigeria. Secondly, it is to ensure that whoever is making money in Nigeria must be made to pay tax.”

     

  • FG reveals more details for suspending Twitter

    FG reveals more details for suspending Twitter

    The Federal Government has justified its action of indefinite suspension of Twitter by giving insights into the several attempts by the microblogging and social networking site to destabilise the country.

    The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, gave the details on Friday when he featured on a live programme of the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), `Good Morning Nigeria’.

    During the programme, the minister said that Twitter had become a platform of choice for separatists to carry out their agenda.

    Specifically, the minister said the platform was used consistently to promote activities that would lead to the collapse of the country.

    He said separatist leader, Nnamdi Kanu, who stays comfortably in Europe, had been using Twitter to direct people to attack the symbols of Nigeria’s sovereignty.

    The minister said Kanu, the leader of outlawed Independent People of Biafrsa (IPOB), used that platform to direct his supporters to attack policemen, military men, barracks and INEC offices among others.

    “Before its suspension, we made several pleas to them to remove the tweets where Nigeria is described as a zoo where all of us are described as monkeys.

    “We also pleaded to Twitter to delete the tweet where he said that if a Nigerian soldier enters into Biafra, it is death,” he said.

    ” Twitter, however, said that those tweets did not offend their own rules.

    “It gets out of hand when attacks on police and military formations, police and army officers became unabated and we said at this point, we will need to suspend their operations,’’ he said

    Mohammed added that the mission of Twitter and its founder, Jack Dorsey, was suspect as they sponsored the EndSARS protest which almost destabilised the country and led to the death of many, including destruction of public and private property.

    He said when he asserted that Twitter funded the EndSARS protest, his position was corroborated by the fact checks made by an online media outfit, ‘The Cable’.

    “The online media concluded that on Oct. 14, 2020, Dorsey actually retweeted some of the posts by some of the coalitions supporting the EndSARS protest.

    “On the same day, he launched a fundraising asking people to donate via Bitcoins.

    “On Oct. 16, 2020, Dorsey launched another Emoji to make the EndSARS protest visible on the microblogging site.

    “On Oct, 20, 2020, he retweeted the tweets of some foreign and local supporters of EndSARS,’’ he said.

    The minister said his claims were proven rightly by the investigations of the Cable, including the fact that Twitter founder solicited donations to support EndSARS.

    “If you ask people to donate money via bitcoins for EndSARS protesters then you are vicariously liable for whatever is the outcome of the protest.

    “We have forgotten that EndSARS led to the loss of lives, including 37 policemen, six soldiers, 57 civilians while property worth billions of naira were destroyed.

    “164 police vehicles and 134 police stations were razed to the ground, 265 private corporate organisation were looted while 243 public property were looted.

    “81 warehouses were looted and we are now saying we don’t have a reason to ban twitter,’’ he said.

    The minister said it was unfair to conclude that the operation of Twitter was suspended indefinitely because it deleted President Muhammadu Buhari’s tweet.

    He said the government was unambiguous that the action was taken because the platform was being used to promote the views of those who want the country to be divided.

    On the timing of the suspension, the minister said the government had the right to determine when and where to make pronouncement on policy and action affecting the corporate existence of the country.

  • Suspension: Twitter approaches FG for dialogue

    Suspension: Twitter approaches FG for dialogue

    The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, says the microblogging platform, Twitter, has approached the Federal Government for dialogue with a view to resolving the problem that led to the suspension of its activities in Nigeria.

    Mohammed made this known to State House correspondents at the end of the meeting of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) at the presidential villa, Abuja on Wednesday.

    According to him, he got the message from Twitter seeking dialogue with the government over the suspension order on June 9.

    He maintained that the social media giant was suspended because it provided an avenue for unpatriotic elements that were bent on destroying the corporate existence of Nigeria.

    According to him, the owner of Twitter helped to fund the recent #EndSARS protest while allowing the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, to use the platform to call for the killing of security agents and destruction of public facilities.

    He said Twitter failed to take down Kanu’s tweets in spite of repeated requests to do so.

    Mohammed listed conditions that must be met even if there is a discussion with Twitter including that it must now be registered in Nigeria as a business concern.

    He said that other social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram must also be registered so that the country could be able to generate revenue from their operations.

    “Our decision to suspend Twitter has been lauded by some; it has been decried by some.

    “But let me make it clear that what’s important to us is the sovereignty of Nigeria and until when Twitter is paused.

    “And the cardinal thing is that Twitter must be registered in Nigeria, Twitter must be licenced in Nigeria and Twitter must stop using its platform for activities that are inimical to the growth of Nigeria or to its corporate existence.’’

    According to the government spokesman, freedom of speech has not been stifled by the suspension of Twitter as he maintained that Nigerians can still use other platforms such as Facebook and Instagram.

    He also denied that the suspension is not effective, arguing that “Twitter is losing money as a result of the action’’.

  • [JUST IN] Reps summon Lai Mohammed, commence investigation into legality of FG’s #TwitterBan

    [JUST IN] Reps summon Lai Mohammed, commence investigation into legality of FG’s #TwitterBan

    Members of the House Representatives have resolved to invite the Minister of Culture and Information, Lai Mohammed in a bid to investigate the legality of the Twitter ban by the Federal Government.

    The decision was reached on Tuesday during plenary.

    The Speaker of the House, Femi Gbajabiamila, in his speech directed the House Committees on Justice, Commerce, and Information to investigate the process that led to the suspension of the platform.

    The Speaker said the House recognizes that Twitter is a very important means of communication.

    According to him, the microblogging site has been used for both good and bad and the legislature must make sure that the policies of government are in accordance with the law and do not have adverse consequences on the people.

    He said relevant committees of the house are to constitute a single committee and commence an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the ban, and its legality.

    The committee is to invite the Minister of Information on the matter.

    PDP Reps stage workout

    Meanwhile, representatives elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Tuesday staged a walkout of plenary protesting the federal government’s twitter ban in the country.

    The PDP representatives also vowed to continue the use of the social media application despite the initial warning that the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami that violators of the Twitter ban will be prosecuted in a competent court of law.

    More details later…

  • Attacks on public infrastructure are acts of terror – Lai Mohammed

    Attacks on public infrastructure are acts of terror – Lai Mohammed

    The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed says the destruction of public infrastructure and facilities is not just vandalism, but a form of terrorism.

    The minister said this on Monday in Abuja at a special Town Hall Meeting on Protection of Public Infrastructure.

    The News Agency of Nigeria reports that ministers of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mohammed Bello, Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola and Aviation, Hadi Sirika were co-panelists at the event.

    Justifying his position, Mohammed said the removal of rail tracks could cause train derailment with deadly consequences.

    He said tampering with aviation infrastructure endangered the lives of air passengers while attacks on police stations had left many police personnel dead.

    “On another level are the incessant attacks on critical public facilities such as police stations and INEC offices.

    “Railway tracks are being subjected to wanton destruction, bridge railings are being removed, manhole covers are being pilfered, street lights and other power infrastructure, oil pipelines, telecoms facilities and critical aviation infrastructure are being damaged or stolen.

    “Apart from endangering the lives of fellow innocent citizens, such unpatriotic acts take a toll on the government’s limited revenue, as it seeks to replace, rehabilitate or totally reconstruct such destroyed infrastructure,’’ he said.

    The minister said the town hall meeting was imperative because it touched on an issue at the core of economic growth and national development.

    He said when public infrastructure was being targeted for destruction by some unpatriotic Nigerians, it called for great concern and immediate action.

    The minister said the country had long suffered massive infrastructure deficit due to decades of neglect, population explosion and the absence of maintenance culture.

    He, however, said since the coming into office in 2015, the Muhammadu Buhari administration had embarked on a rapid economic growth with equity.

    He said the administration had invested heavily in providing new infrastructure, reconstructing and rehabilitating existing ones, in spite a drastic drop in revenues and competing priorities.

    “However, in recent times, such laudable efforts of the government are being thwarted by some unpatriotic citizens through wanton destruction of critical infrastructure.

    “This is why we have decided to organise a series of town hall meetings to address this incessant and worsening destruction of public infrastructure and facilities,’’ he said

    Mohammed said the town hall meeting would help to create in the public mind that government assets were citizens’ property and must be protected for the benefit of all.

    He underscored the need to sensitise communities, especially where the infrastructure was located to be conscious of the need to protect them

    He also stressed the need to expose, arrest and prosecute all those who engage in buying pilfered infrastructure items along with those who bring such to them to sell.

  • Why we unveil video documentary to showcase Buhari’s achievements – FG

    Why we unveil video documentary to showcase Buhari’s achievements – FG

    The Federal Government says it has unveiled “an all-encompassing and unprecedented documentary’’ showcasing achievements of President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration in order to prove naysayers wrong.

    The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed said this in Abuja on Tuesday at a media briefing to present the mid-term report of the second tenure of Buhari’s administration.

    “In spite of our best efforts, the naysayers have continued to say they have not seen what this administration has achieved.

    “They have continued to deny the obvious by pretending that these achievements are not real.

    “Even when they have travelled on the new standard gauge rail from Abuja to Kaduna, Lagos to Ibadan, and Itakpe-Ajaokuta-Warri, they still deny that any progress has been made in modernising the country’s rail infrastructure.

    “They travel through the ultra-modern airport terminals in Abuja and Enugu, yet they deny any progress has been made in modernising our airports.

    “This year, 2021, which marks the half-way point of the second and final term of the Muhammadu Buhari administration, we have decided to once again change our style for more effectiveness.

    “Our new strategy is to suffuse the airwaves and the social media with unmistakable video evidence of the various achievements to such an extent that even the blind can ‘see’ and the deaf can ‘hear’,’’ he said.

    The minister recalled that since 2016, they had heralded every annual anniversary of the administration with massive publicity of the achievements of the government.

    He said they had leveraged on Town Hall Meetings, media tours of the Federal Government projects and testimony series to showcase the administration’s achievements.

    Mohammed said the efforts had not yielded the desired results because of the naysayers who had always denied the obvious.

    According to the minister, the documentary, which is a new strategy, will be aired via television sets and mobile phones applications such as Whatsapp, Facebook, Instagram, etc.

    “Because of the sheer enormity of the achievements, the documentary will be aired in three parts, and will run for months.

    “When we started, we envisaged a two-part documentary, but in order to accommodate a large chunk of the achievements, we decided to extend it to three parts.

    “The documentary, which will be updated from time to time until the end of the administration’s tenure, covers roads, rail, housing, power, aviation, agriculture, ports, bridges, health, fight against Covid-19, water resources and the economy generally,’’ he said.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that journalists at the briefing were shown a short clip preview of the documentary.

  • Nigeria in safe hands despite security challenges- Lai Mohammed

    Nigeria in safe hands despite security challenges- Lai Mohammed

    The Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, has said the country is in safe hands notwithstanding the security challenges it is facing.

    He counseled citizens not to succumb to doomsday predictions about Nigeria because they won’t come to pass.

    The Minister said this when he received the Oluyin of Iyin-Ekiti, Oba Adeola Adeniyi Ajakaiye and his entourage at his office in Abuja on Thursday.

    “Talking about security, I want to use this opportunity to assure all Nigerians that despite the security challenges we are facing now, Nigeria is in safe hands. We must never succumb to the apocalyptic or doomsday predictions about our country because they won’t come to pass.

    “It is also important for our leaders at all levels to give the people message of hope instead of making comments that can only aggravate tension,” the Minister was cited in a statement on the ministry’s website.