Buhari has destroyed Nigeria’s image globally with Twitter ban —HURIWA

The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA), has lampooned President Muhammadu Buhari over the ban placed on the operations of micro-blogging site, Twitter, in Nigeria, saying the action is damaging the image of the country globally.

The human rights group, in a statement on Tuesday, said the President and the ‘misguided people’ working with him have finally “uncovered the dictatorial tendencies hidden beneath their hearts when they were canvassing for votes.”

The statement signed by HURIWA’s National Coordinator, Emmanuel Onwubiko, urged the President to rescind his decision and allow Nigerians enjoy their constitutional rights to freedom of expression.

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“The ban imposed on the use of the social media platform (Twitter) is extremely damaging to the global brand of Nigeria and portraying the country like an entity that is unstable and suffers from tyranny of ignorance,” the statement said.

“We regret to state that the decision of President Muhammadu Buhari to unilaterally order millions of Nigerians making use of the services offered by Twitter to stop, has inflicted unprecedented damage to Nigeria’s international brand.

“The arbitrary policy of banning Nigerians from enjoying their fundamental freedoms of association and expression has not only painted Nigeria as an emerging dictatorship but as a political entity that is going back to the primitive state of nature.”

HURIWA added that the ban on Twitter and other unpopular policies of Buhari’s administration, were making a mockery of democracy and other values which the global communities are embibbing for socio-economic development.

By Isaac Dachen…

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