Fayose, who said that democracy is about press freedom, made the call on his twitter handle @GovAyoFayose thus:
“The FG must clarify the reported move to clampdown on online newspapers, social media & internet users. Democracy is about press freedom”.
Fayose’s call is coming against the backdrop of the news that President Buhari-led Federal Government has begun secret moves that will see a number of online newspapers, blogs and websites perceived to constitute “threat to national security” permanently shut down.
Sundiata Post recalls that Sunday Tribune authoritatively reported that the government, through the Nigerian Communications Commission, has engaged the services of a firm in Lagos to block the domain names of “several identified websites threatening national security”.
According to Tribune, The Office of the National Security Adviser drew the list of the offensive websites and the number is in excess of 21, a memo written by NCC, a copy of which Sunday Tribune got, said.
The letter, which was dated October 20, 2017, is a reminder memo to the firm, indicating that other letters had earlier been written to the firm by NCC.
Recall that the closest clue to what has been interpreted as an indirect attempt to gag the press and suppress opposing views since the advent of the President Muhammadu Buhari administration is the controversial bill to regulate social media, which has passed second reading in the Senate.
