President Muhammadu Buhari has lifted the ban on Twitter in the country on Wednesday
The Chairman Technical Committee Nigeria-Twitter Engagement and Director-General National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, CCIE made this known in a statement made available to Journalists on Wednesday
Kashifu noted the approval was given following a memo written to Buhari by his Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Prof Isa Ali Ibrahim.
He said: “The Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN) directs me to inform the public that President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, has approved the lifting of the suspension of Twitter operation in Nigeria effective from 12am tonight, 13th January 2022.
“The approval was given following a memo written to the President by the Honourable Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Prof Isa Ali Ibrahim.
“In the Memo, the Minister updated and requested the President’s approval for the lifting based on the Technical Committee Nigeria-Twitter Engagement’s recommendation.”
Recall that twitter operations in Nigeria were suspended in June 2021, days after Buhari’s tweet was deleted.
DAILY GIST reported that the federal government announced the suspension of Twitter’s operations indefinitely in the country.
This was contained in a statement signed the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed
President Buhari had said those misbehaving by attacking police stations, prisons and offices of the Independent National Electoral Commission, especially in the South-East would be treated in the language they understand. The president had also said those plotting the downfall of his administration will soon get the shock of their lives.
”Many of those misbehaving today are too young to be aware of the destruction and loss of lives that occurred during the Nigerian Civil War. Those of us in the fields for 30 months, who went through the war, will treat them in the language they understand.”Buhari had tweeted.
There was however a massive outrage on Twitter as many users accused the president of threatening a section of the country.
They also asked Twitter to suspend the president account, whom they accused of bias.
Twitter then pin-point one of the tweets, saying it violates its rules. Reacting to the development, the Minister of Information and Culture accused Twitter of a double standard.
Mohammed said the social media giant had conveniently ignored inciting tweets by Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and his cohorts.
He said Twitter ignored Kalu’s remarks that encouraged the killing of Police personnel and the show of similar biases during the ENDSARS protest where government and private properties were looted and set on fire, considering it human rights.
Mohammed, who wondered why the organisation now found President Buhari’s tweet offensive, said Twitter’s role is suspicious and Nigeria will not be fooled
The Nigerian government announced the suspension of the popular microblogging site from Nigeria, citing activities that threatens the country’s corporate existence on the platform
