Nigeria Suspends Twitter Over Removal of Nigerian President’s Tweets

Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

For removing Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari’s tweets threatening to punish secessionists amidst the ongoing unrest, Nigeria said on Friday it had indefinitely suspended Twitter’s activities.

The ban comes two days after the social media giant removed a post from President Muhammadu Buhari’s handle. “Treat them the language they understand”, angered some Nigerians on the platform, saying the statement be-little the office of the Nigerian president.

Nigeria’s Ministry of Information has had a run with the social media giant in recent time after taking its African office to neighbouring Ghana. The move did not sit down well with the authority.

On the ban, Nigerian information Minister Lai Mohammed said the government had acted because of “the persistent use of the platform for activities that are capable of undermining Nigeria’s corporate existence”. Mohammed did not spell out what form the suspension would take or give more details on the undermining activities.

Twitter is investigating its “deeply concerning” suspension of operations by the Nigerian government, and “will provide updates when we know more,” the company said in a statement.

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