The Canadian High Commissioner to Nigeria, Nicolas Simard, says the Nigerian government must respect the rights of its citizens including the freedom of speech.

Simard said this in a series of tweets with #TwitterBan while reacting to the suspension of Twitter by the Federal Government.

The Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, had announced the suspension of Twitter following the decision of the social media giant to delete a tweet by the President, Muhammadu Buhari.

Responding, Simard tweeted, “Freedom of speech used responsibly online and offline, and access to reliable information are fundamental human rights protected by Nigeria’s constitution and a cornerstone of democratic life around the world.

“These human rights should be fully protected while preventing inflammatory rhetoric and hate speech that could fuel tension and conflict.”