Some Twitter influencers had their accounts suspended allegedly for pushing a campaign for the release of Venezuelan businessman Alex Saab.
The accounts, including Samuel Mbah, Danny Walter, and Valhalla, all in Nigeria were inaccessible on Tuesday reportedly for breaking twitter rules.
This came at a time when it emerged that most of the influencers were paid $2,000 to post tweets that will force Cape Verdean authorities to kowtow in handling the matter.
A report by The Financial Times earlier this year said more than 500,000 social media posts had been seen in support of Alex Saab in some African countries since October 2020 and early 2021.
The report said the campaign was being funding and supported by the Nicolas Maduro government and its associates to “obstruct Alex Saab’s extradition.”
A news report by Premium Times said it had sighted a copy of another report that showed that Twitter influencers in Nigeria, Ghana and Senegal had been tabled to push the campaign but there was no indication that any of those in Nigeria were indeed contacted.
Some of the suspended accounts have since been released.
Alex Saab case
Mr. Alex Saab was arrested mid-2020 in Cape Verde enroute to Iran on a diplomatic mission for Iran.
His arrest was based on instruction from the US.
The US, Venezuela and Cape Verde have been in a tussle over his situation with a push by the US for his extradition from Cape Verde to face charges on US soil.
The US wants him tried on charges of corruption.
Cape Verde, which has been holding him for the past nine months has been hit with suits by Saab’s lawyers to stop the island country from obliging the US.
The ECOWAS court in March 2021 ruled that his arrest was illegal and therefore he should be released and compensated with $200,000 by Cape Verde.
A day after, the Cape Verde supreme court also gave a contrary ruling, indicating that he can be extradited.
Lawyers for Saab, including Nigerian Femi Falana are appealing that decision while reaching out to some stakeholders to intervene in the matter and “call Cape Verde to order.”.
He argues that by disregarding the ECOWAS court’s ruling, Cape Verde is disrespecting the authority -of the sub-regional court.
Mr. Falana’s view is shared by the African Bar Association which has in a March 29, 2021 petition to ECOWAS chairman and Ghana president, Nana Akufo-Addo stated that, “we consider the action of Cape Verde as not only a slap in the face of ECOWAS but also a clear demonstration of unwillingness to abide by the Protocols of this respected body. This situation Your Excellency, may ridicule the structure of the Sub-regional body and weaken her cohesion.”
“We humbly and respectfully request Your Excellency to intervene and get Cape Verde to respect and obey the legitimate order of the ECOWAS Community Court of March 15, 2021,” the association added.
