The Federal Government (FG) of Nigeria announced through the Special Assistant to the President on media, Segun Adeyemi, the suspension of social networking and microblogging app—Twitter.
According to Segun Adeyemi via his Twitter page: “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.”
https://twitter.com/SegunAde88/status/1400838474253561858?s=19
This comes on the heels of the taking down of one of the tweets by the President of the nation, Rtd. Gen. Muhammadu Buhari uploaded on Tuesday, June 2 where he issued stern warnings to opposers of peace and perpetrators of violence as it were. This led to the presidency labelling the action by operators of the app “suspicious”.
Adding to why the FG took the bold steps of suspending the actions of Twitter in Nigeria, Segun Adeyemi in one of his many tweets explained: “[Lai Mohammed] 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.”
https://twitter.com/SegunAde88/status/1400838542650077187?s=19
Segun Adeyemi said the app will be suspended “indefinitely”. Segun Adeyemi serves at the Office of the Minister of Information and Culture but his tweets have come under blacklash by Nigerians of the app who spotted the irony in the medium through which the news was dissipated, citing that the FG chose to announce the suspension of Twitter on the app itself.
You don’t even have shame you are still using the platform you ban. Why not announce on TVC and in Punch
— Mosope (@Mo_shhhh) June 4, 2021
https://twitter.com/Nowthatsvery4ny/status/1400851366285873152?s=19
FG using Twitter to report the suspension of Twitter in Nigeria pic.twitter.com/ho9DLlIWMB
— Lanre (@Dhavidey4you) June 4, 2021
*Suspends Twitter in Nigeria*
Minister of information: So how do we announce it to Nigerians??
FG: Tweet it.
— Tolu Of Canada 🇨🇦 (@tolul_ope) June 4, 2021
Others have started clamouring for Twitter operators, the owner in particular, Jack Dorsey to suspend the account of the President of Nigeria himself, using different funny memes and tweets to pass their message with the hashtag – #TwitterSuspendBuharisAccount.
Retweet to petition @Jack and @Twitter to PERMANENTLY suspend @MBuhari’s account. Buhari is a bloodthirsty war monger in breach of their TOS and should be shut out of decent society!#TwitterSuspendBuharisAccount#FacebookSuspendBuharisAccount#TableShaker #BuhariTormentor
— Reno Omokri (@renoomokri) June 4, 2021
Buhari's lawyers going to Jack's house to defend #TwitterSuspendBuharisAccount pic.twitter.com/fc9hPvSIfq
— Baller G 💦🦉 (@spunky_niga) June 4, 2021
Let Buhari be the first to taste the ban @jack. #TwitterSuspendBuharisAccount
— Ayemojubar (@ayemojubar) June 4, 2021
After Federal Government banned Twitter in Nigeria, I hope they will delete @FMICNigeria Twitter account.
I also expect Femi Adeshina, Adamu Garba, Bubu to also delete their Twitter account before night.
If not, they are all level 18 clowns.VPNs#TwitterSuspendBuharisAccount pic.twitter.com/PtJCVjJ0Dt
— The Great Wheeler ✳️ (@WheelerTheGreat) June 4, 2021