The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has called on President Bola Tinubu to direct the Department of State Services (DSS) to withdraw its implied threat to ban X (formerly Twitter) in Nigeria over a post by journalist Omoyele Sowore.

In a statement issued on Sunday, SERAP said any attempt to restrict access to X would amount to collective punishment and a broader crackdown on social media, warning that such action would have a chilling effect on freedom of expression.

The group recalled that the ECOWAS Court of Justice had previously ruled that access to Twitter is a fundamental human right.

“Freedom of expression is indeed a fundamental right protected under section 39 of the Nigerian Constitution 1999 [as amended], article 9 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, and article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which Nigeria is a state party,” SERAP said.

The organisation stressed that Nigerian authorities are obligated to safeguard independent media, both online and offline, to ensure the free flow of information and ideas between citizens and leaders.

It added: “Any restriction of the right to freedom of expression online and offline must adhere to the constitutional and international requirements of legality, necessity, proportionality, and legitimacy.”

SERAP compared the DSS threat to the suspension of Twitter by former President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration, which the ECOWAS Court later declared unlawful.

The group further warned that pressuring X to censor online content would infringe on privacy, freedom of expression, media freedom, and access to information.

“We’ll see the administration in court if the threat is not immediately withdrawn,” SERAP vowed.