FG to persecute Pastor Kumuyi, Adeboye for violating Twitter ban

Nigeria’s Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed says the Attorney General of the Federation and justice minister, Abubakar Malami has the prerogative to decide who to prosecute for violating Twitter ban, including Pastor Enoch Adeboye and Pastor William Kumuyi.

Both Adeboye of the Redeemed Christian Church of God and Kumuyi of the Deeper Life Bible Church have been tweeting on defiance of the Twitter ban in the country.

But Mohammed, in an interview with BBC Africa Focus on Monday, responding to a question about Adeboye’s violation of the ban, insisted Twitter threatens the corporate existence of Nigeria.

He said, “The attorney-general has made it clear that if anyone violates the regulation, that such person will be prosecuted. I think it is the right of the attorney-general to decide who to prosecute,” he said

“The government has suspended indefinitely, the operations of Twitter in Nigeria because of the persistent use of the platform for activities that are capable of undermining Nigeria’s corporate existence and the government

“Also directed the National Broadcasting Commission to immediately commence the process of licencing all social media operations in Nigeria,” he also said during the interview.

On Saturday, the Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN) ordered the arrest and prosecution of anyone found using the social media platform.

Adeboye, General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), however tweeted on Monday despite the ban on microblogging site, Twitter by the Nigerian government.

Adeboye, who defied the ban, described tweeting as being in accordance with Article 19 of the UN universal declaration of human rights.

He tweeted, “The Redeemed Christian Church of God is domiciled in more than 170 Nations & Territories. The tweets here are in accordance to Article 19 of the UN universal declaration of Human Rights.”

Kumuyi, who also defied the ban on Monday, said tweets shared on his page are targeted at a global audience in more than 5 continents and over 100 Nations.

“In view of the Twitter ban in Nigeria, please note that the content shared on this handle is targeted at a global audience in more than 5 continents and over 100 Nations and we share the content from any of these locations,” he tweeted.

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.