Reps sets up committee to investigate Twitter ban, summons Lai Mohammed

The Speaker added that the report of the committee will guide “further action by the house of representatives.”

MARIAM ILEYEMI • June 8, 2021

The Speaker of House of Reps, Femi Gbajabiamila (Photo Credit: @femigbaja)

The House of Representatives has directed four of its committees to immediately commence an investigation into the suspension of Twitter by the Buhari regime.

Femi Gbajabiamila, the speaker of the House, disclosed this at the plenary on Tuesday.

According to the speaker, the green chamber has been requested to intervene and criticise the government’s decision to suspend twitter.

During the plenary session, he admitted that Twitter is an important tool for communication and commerce in Nigeria, after which he ordered the committees to commence investigation and summon the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed over the suspension.

“The House of Representatives recognises that Twitter, like other social media networks, is an important tool for communication and commerce in Nigeria, particularly amongst the younger generation who have used these networks for enterprise and innovation with great success,” Mr Gbajabiamila said.

“It is in service of our obligations under the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and our moral duty to the Nigerian people, that the leadership of the House has decided to mandate the House Committees on Communication, Justice, Information and Culture, and National Security and Intelligence to immediately commence an investigation to determine the circumstances of the decision by the Federal Government of Nigeria to suspend the operations of Twitter in Nigeria, and the legal authority for the ban on the operations of Twitter in Nigeria.

“The Committees are additionally mandated to invite the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed to brief the House of Representatives on the objectives, intent, and duration of the suspension on the operations of Twitter in Nigeria, and to report to the House within ten days.”

The Speaker added that the report of the committee will guide “further action by the house of representatives”.

“Therefore, I urge the committees to act with speed and sound judgment to address this issue that has animated our national conversations over the last few days,” he said.

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