Twitter Ban: Nigerian Government Finally Allows Citizens to Use the Social Media Platform

• After about seven months, the Nigerian government said it has now lifted the suspension of Twitter operations in the country
• The announcement was made by Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, the director-general of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA)
• Abdullahi explained that the development followed President Buhari's approval, adding that the suspension will take effect from 12am, Thursday, January 13

FCT, Abuja - The federal government has reportedly lifted the suspension of Twitter operations in Nigeria following the approval by President Muhammadu Buhari.

According to The Nation, the decision was announced by Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, the chairman of the Technical Committee Nigeria-Twitter Engagement and director-general of National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA).

Kashifu, in a statement in Abuja, said the approval was given following a memo written to the President by the minister of communications and digital economy, Professor Isa Ali Ibrahim, The Cable also reported.

Read also

University of Johannesburg appoints former UN Women Executive Director Dr Phumzile Mlambo Ngcuka as chancellor

He was quoted to have 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.”

How Twitter's operation was suspended

Breifly News recalls that the federal government in June 2021 announced the indefinite suspension of Twitter’s operation.

The suspension was announced after the platform deleted tweets made by President Buhari, who had threatened to treat members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) in the “language they understand”.

Read also

State Capture Report: Corruption and maladmistration was at SAA even before Dudu Myeni says Sacca

However, the federal government attributed the suspension to “the persistent use of the platform for activities that are capable of undermining Nigeria’s corporate existence”.

Twitter ban: Former US President Donald Trump expresses solidarity with Nigeria

Briefly News previously reported that the immediate past president of the United States, Donald Trump, is happy over the decision of the Nigerian government to ban Twitter.

In a message to the President Buhari-led administration, Trump congratulated the country for taking such a drastic move after the site pulled down the Nigerian leader's tweet.

In the brief statement sighted by Briefly News, the former American president predicted that from now onwards, competitors will not only emerge, but they will also overtake the bird app and take hold of the social media space.

Source: Briefly News