Group Writes NCC, Demands FoI Request On Blocked #EndSARS Website


On Thursday, website of popular women’s right group, Feminist Coalition, and two others allegedly suffered a cyber attack and became inaccessible to Nigerians.

Paradigm Initiative Nigeria, a social enterprise that builds an ICT-enabled support system and advocates digital rights in Africa, has written a Freedom of Information request to the Nigerian Communications Commission demanding information on the alleged secret blocking of the domain names of #EndSARS related websites by the Nigerian Government.


On Thursday, website of popular women’s right group, Feminist Coalition, and two others allegedly suffered a cyber attack and became inaccessible to Nigerians.


When accessed with a Nigerian mobile network, the websites cannot be reached but when a user uses a VPN, the sites become accessible.

PIN in a statement on Friday described the action as violation of constitutionally and globally guaranteed rights of freedom of expression and access to information.

The statement reads, “Websites related to the campaign have been inaccessible as reported by many citizens and from independent checks carried out by Paradigm Initiative. These attempts are an unacceptable violation of constitutionally and globally guaranteed rights of freedom of expression and access to information.

“In a similar development that occurred in October 2017, we monitored and challenged the Nigerian government's censorship directive through the Nigerian Communications Commission, an agency which is supposedly independent.

“The NCC must not continue to offer itself to be used by the Federal Government under any guise to intimidate citizens who engage in legitimate protests and exercise their digital rights by leveraging digital platforms for the protest.”

The group’s Senior Program Manager, Adeboye Adegoke, added, “Section 39 of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria expressly provides that every person shall be entitled to freedom of expression, including the freedom to hold opinions and to receive and impart ideas and information without interference. Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights provides similarly that everyone shall have the right to freedom of expression.

“This right shall include freedom to seek, receive and impart information and ideas of all kinds, regardless of frontiers, either orally, in writing or in print, in the form of art, or through any other media of his choice.”

Speaking also, 'Gbenga Sesan, Executive Director of PIN, said the group had sent a FoI request to the NCC to answer key questions such as who ordered the recent blocking of websites, the reason for the blocking, disruption, or restriction on the websites.

He said, “We want to know under which legal provision this is being carried out and if the NCC authorised the blocking, disruption, or restriction of these websites. We also need to know if the owners of the websites were informed that their websites will be blocked, and if they were given an opportunity for a fair hearing.

“Another question that must be answered is: Did the NCC act independently or was it acting on behalf of other government institutions? In a country with increasingly closed civic spaces and one that must do more work to protect freedom of expression and press freedom, a dangerous precedent could be set if the NCC continues to carry out the restriction of access to websites that are critical of the government or that support citizens' right to contribute to our democracy.”

The group’s Senior Program Manager, Adeboye Adegoke, added, “Section 39 of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria expressly provides that every person shall be entitled to freedom of expression, including the freedom to hold opinions and to receive and impart ideas and information without interference. Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights provides similarly that everyone shall have the right to freedom of expression.

Calmblaze:
Very soon, FG will want to detain all protesters. Useless government. God is kuku watching.

Neddstark:
Have you heard of any unrest in China lately? The answer is no.
This is because their government knows that information is power and can change alot of things so they intentionally limit a lot that goes into the country except what will actually develop them like technology. Love them or hate them but this system is very effective. They understand that civil unrest in a highly populated China can destabilize what their country has attained in 4 decades within 4 weeks.
As much as I am for freedom of information, the extent #endsars influencers went by inciting youths to disobey a government and playing down a curfew should not be tolerated in a fragile democracy like ours. I knew there was a hand behind this was hours after the tollgate shooting, the fatalities were inflated and fake images were being circulated everywhere to propagate their cause and encourage anarchy. Fake news is the new weapon of mass destruction. It is the duty of the government to ensure peace and if shutting them down will do, so be it.
Of course their Nairaland crew will insult me and sheeples who reason out of sentiments will support them. Just know this, a society without law and order is finished.

Neddstark:
Have you heard of any unrest in China lately? The answer is no.
This is because their government knows that information is power and can change alot of things so they intentionally limit a lot that goes into the country except what will actually develop them like technology. Love them or hate them but this system is very effective. They understand that civil unrest in a highly populated China can destabilize what their country has attained in 4 decades within 4 weeks.
As much as I am for freedom of information, the extent #endsars influencers went by inciting youths to disobey a government and playing down a curfew should not be tolerated in a fragile democracy like ours. I knew there was a hand behind this was hours after the tollgate shooting, the fatalities were inflated and fake images were being circulated everywhere to propagate their cause and encourage anarchy. Fake news is the new weapon of mass destruction. It is the duty of the government to ensure peace and if shutting them down will do, so be it.
Of course their Nairaland crew will insult me and sheeples who reason out of sentiments will support them. Just know this, a society without law and order is finished.

capitalzero:


When will FG start killing corrupt politicians like China?

Neddstark:
Have you heard of any unrest in China lately? The answer is no.
This is because their government knows that information is power and can change alot of things so they intentionally limit a lot that goes into the country except what will actually develop them like technology. Love them or hate them but this system is very effective. They understand that civil unrest in a highly populated China can destabilize what their country has attained in 4 decades within 4 weeks.
As much as I am for freedom of information, the extent #endsars influencers went by inciting youths to disobey a government and playing down a curfew should not be tolerated in a fragile democracy like ours. I knew there was a hand behind this was hours after the tollgate shooting, the fatalities were inflated and fake images were being circulated everywhere to propagate their cause and encourage anarchy. Fake news is the new weapon of mass destruction. It is the duty of the government to ensure peace and if shutting them down will do, so be it.
Of course their Nairaland crew will insult me and sheeples who reason out of sentiments will support them. Just know this, a society without law and order is finished.

ivolt:

Freedom of expression is not the same as access to platforms. If that were the case child porn and illegal trade sites will not be blocked. Even freedom of expression has its limit. Given the legal ignorance of this group, it is safe to assume their sponsors and aim.

Neddstark:
Have you heard of any unrest in China lately? The answer is no.
This is because their government knows that information is power and can change alot of things so they intentionally limit a lot that goes into the country except what will actually develop them like technology. Love them or hate them but this system is very effective. They understand that civil unrest in a highly populated China can destabilize what their country has attained in 4 decades within 4 weeks.
As much as I am for freedom of information, the extent #endsars influencers went by inciting youths to disobey a government and playing down a curfew should not be tolerated in a fragile democracy like ours. I knew there was a hand behind this was hours after the tollgate shooting, the fatalities were inflated and fake images were being circulated everywhere to propagate their cause and encourage anarchy. Fake news is the new weapon of mass destruction. It is the duty of the government to ensure peace and if shutting them down will do, so be it.
Of course their Nairaland crew will insult me and sheeples who reason out of sentiments will support them. Just know this, a society without law and order is finished.

Philipponzaghi:


I stand with you even if most of Nairaland commenters can’t think like us.

They are swayed by emotion and have this herd mentality here where they just regurgitate the same thing just for cheap likes.

The way some unknown element spread fake images after the Lekki toll gate incident showed there is a motive hidden in all this.

The fools that set the nation on fire with their fake news are now stupidly subjecting people with different opinion to emotional torture.

They said soldier killed people for Lekki, if you ask them for their bodies or proof, they will suddenly start cursing you and saying you are heartless.

It’s just an emotional weapon carefully deployed to the midst of the educate illiterate social media mobs who can’t think.

capitalzero:

When will FG start killing corrupt politicians like China?