Human rights lawyer, Chief Malcolm Omirhobo, has faulted the management of Delta State Maritime Polytechnic, Burutu, Delta State, for restricting members of staff of the institution from opening WhatsApp group platforms among themselves.

Recall that the institution management, in a memo titled: ‘The Proliferation and Abuse of WhatsApp Platforms in The Institution and The Need To Streamline/Harmonised The Various Groups,’ dated June 11, 2025, signed by the registrar and secretary to the Governing Council’, Mr. Ufuoma Oghovojah, at the 43rd regular meeting of the institution directed members of staff from not opening WhatsApp group platform among themselves.

The management’s reason for the restriction was that there has been a proliferation of WhatsApp platforms in the school, adding that they were created using the name of the institution without due approval by management.

The memo noted that some of these platforms were being used as a political tool to settle personal scores and, in some instances, instigate other staff to disobey constituted authorities.

But reacting to the development, Omirhobo said the institution had no powers to restrict staff from opening WhatsApp platform among themselves.

He said: “Restricting staff to only DESMAPOLY social network and disbanding other existing platforms is a violation of the staff’s fundamental right to freedom of expression as guaranteed and protected by virtue of section 39 of the 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (As Amended ) and article 9 of the African Charter on Human and people’s rights. (ratification and enforcement Act , cap A9, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria , 2024 and therefore illegal, unlawful and unconstitutional.” (Sunday Vanguard, excluding headline)