2019 Elections: CPJ Warns Against Shutting Down Nigeria’s Internet, Social Media Space

The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has added to the call against shutting down the internet and restricting access to social media space with less than 24 hours to Nigeria’s general elections.

The CPj joined more than 15 rights organizations and the #KeepItOn Coalition to call for Nigerian authorities to ensure that internet and social media services remain connected during upcoming elections, and safeguard internet speeds of websites and messaging applications.

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In a statement on Friday, the CPJ noted that in early February, Nigeria’s federal government denied rumors of plans to shut down the internet during upcoming election.

In a letter, addressed to Umar Garba Danbatta, executive vice chairman and chief executive officer of the Nigerian Communications Commission, the CPJ emphasized how internet disruptions inhibit journalists’ ability to safely conduct reporting and run contrary to international law. It also highlighted additional social and economic costs of internet outages.

“The media is critical to this particular election and critical to people understanding both the [election’s] processes and procedures,” Festus Okoye, national commissioner of Nigeria’s Independent National Electoral Commission, told CPJ on February 13.

Okoye also emphasized the importance of internet connectivity because the smart card readers used for voter identification are based on the internet. “Three networks–Glo, MTN, and Airtel–are powering them [the smart card readers], so if you jam the network there won’t be any election…that’s just the bottom line.” he said.

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