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ECOWAS Twitter Judgement: SERAP Heads To Court For Twitter Victims’ Compensation
Undeterred in its drive for justice for citizens of Nigeria, mostly those whose means of livelihood were killed by President Buhari Twitter ban; Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Projects, SERAP, is preparing papers to seek compensation for the victims.
This is coming after ECOWAS court ruling, describing the action of the Federal government as undemocratic, with a clause warning that the President Buhari administration should not repeat such again.
In the judgment delivered on Thursday, July 14, the ECOWAS court declared that it has the jurisdiction to hear the case and that the case was therefore admissible.
The Court also held that the act of suspending the operation of Twitter is unlawful and inconsistent with the provisions of Article 9 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and Article 19 of the International Coven ant on Civil and Political Rights both of which Nigeria is a state party.
According to the Court, “The Buhari administration in suspending the operations of Twitter violates the rights of SERAP and 176 concerned Nigerians to the enjoyment of freedom of expression, access to information and the media, as well as the right to fair hearing.”
Following the ruling by ECOWAS Court, SERAP said it is filing another suit for the Federal government to pay victin=ms of the Twitter ban.
Reports suggest that Nigerians lost about $40 billion due to the Twitter ban.
SERAP in a statement released yesterday on the ECOWAS Court ruling said, “Following the ECOWAS Court judgment today declaring unlawful Buhari’s Twitter ban, we’re preparing court papers to seek compensation for ALL victims of the ban.”
