BREAKING: FG suspends Twitter operations in Nigeria

The Federal Government has suspended, indefinitely, the operations of microblogging and social networking service, Twitter, in Nigeria.

The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, announced the suspension in a statement issued in Abuja on Friday, citing the persistent use of the platform for activities that are capable of undermining Nigeria’s corporate existence.

The Minister said the Federal Government has also directed the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) to immediately commence the process of licensing all OTT and social media operations in Nigeria.

PRESS RELEASE

FG Suspends @Twitter Operations in Nigeria pic.twitter.com/7z5BQ0Mi3U

— Fed Min of Info & Cu (@FMICNigeria) June 4, 2021

Recall that Twitter had deleted President Muhammadu Buhari’s tweet where he vowed to treat ‘those misbehaving in the language they understand’.

Buhari made the remarks after a meeting with officials from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), who reported to him attacks on the body’s facilities.

“Many of those misbehaving today are too young to be aware of the destruction and loss of lives that occurred during the Nigeria Civil War. Those of us in the fields for 30 months, who went through the war, will treat them in the language they understand,” the President’s now-deleted tweet read.

Twitter deleted the message on Wednesday, following widespread condemnation.

“This Tweet violated Twitter Rules,” the microblogging site said.

“I receive daily security reports on the attacks, and it is very clear that those behind them want this administration to fail,” Buhari said in a subsequent tweet that was spared.

The tweet was criticized by people on social media as uncouth and asked the site to remove it.