Ebonyi State Gov. Dave Umahi Under Fire Over Call on Clampdown Of Govt Critics On Social Media Platforms

Human Rights group, Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) and Nigerians from different walks of life have berated the governor of Ebonyi State, Mr. David Umahi for his call on security agencies in Nigeria to clampdown on Nigerians for using the social media to express their opinion.

SERAP in a statement in Abuja warned that Mr. Umahi should be held responsible if security agencies once again resort to harassment of Nigerians for exercising their constitutional right to free speech. The Rights group called on the governor to immediately withdraw the “illegal call.”

“We urge Ebonyi State governor Dave Umahi to immediately withdraw his illegal call on Nigeria security agents to “invite” Nigerians simply for peacefully exercising their rights on social media.

“We’ll hold Mr. Umahi to account if his call leads to violation of rights,” SERAP’s statement read.

Umahi had while featuring on a Channels’ TV “Sunrise Daily” programme in Abuja called on the Nigerian security agencies to arrest anyone using the social media to speak against the government. Umahi during the programme also condemned Nigerians for being “unpatriotic” by not supporting and promoting the President of the country, Muhammadu Buhari and his policies. The governor stated that Nigeria was falling apart because “no one was speaking for the President” thereby allowing politicians and disgruntled elements to misinform the public.

Similarly, Nigerians also to took to twitter to call out the governor who some of them described as a “dictator,” some of the tweets read: