The Nigerian Government indefinitely suspended Twitter and bans its citizens from using the platform until the suspension is called off. Talks of the government-imposed moratorium were ignited when Nigerian President, Muhammadu Buhari, had his account suspended. Buhari’s account got suspended after he cryptically suggested that Nigerian separatists should face punishment for destructing federal property while referencing the Nigerian Civil War that occurred between 1967 through 1970.
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On June 1st, Buhari tweeted, “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 faced backlash for inciting violence through his use of social media. Soon after he tweeted, Twitter froze his account for violating the outlet’s “abusive behavior” policy.
Not too long after the suspension of the Nigerian President’s Twitter account, the Nigerian Government announced that they are suspending Twitter privileges for its entire nation. Lai Mohammed, Nigeria’s Ministry of Information and Culture, released a statement following the government’s revelation. Mohammed stated during a press release from the Nigerian capital, “the persistent use of the platform for activities that are capable of undermining Nigeria’s corporate existence.”
Twitter has since released a statement in response to Nigeria’s moratorium. “The announcement made by the Nigerian Government that they have suspended Twitter’s operations in Nigeria is deeply concerning,” the platform stated. Nigeria’s restrictions regarding Twitter have not started yet, and it’s unclear of when the nation’s suspension will go into effect.
