‘I’ll keep that to myself’ – Buhari parries question on Twitter ban

 

President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday turned down a question on the suspension of the microblogging and social networking service, Twitter, in Nigeria.

Recall that the Minister of information and Tourism, Lai Mohammed, had last Friday announced the indefinite suspension of Twitter’s operations in the country.

Mohammed said the government was forced to act because of “the persistent use of the platform for activities that are capable of undermining Nigeria’s corporate existence.”

The suspension of Twitter has continued to spark widespread outrage, with many Nigerians condemning the move.

However, when asked on Arise TV when the Twitter ban would be lifted, Buhari declined to comment, saying he would “keep” the answer to himself.

“I will keep that to myself,” the president said.

Nigerians use Twitter, reverse ban now – US to Buhari govt

 

The United States is increasing the pressure on the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration after the suspension of Twitter in Nigeria.

On Wednesday, the US Mission in Nigeria conveyed the message of top American official, Samantha Power.

The senior diplomat is the current Administrator of the US Agency for International Development (USAID).

Power said: “There are nearly 40 M Twitter users in #Nigeria, and the country is home to Africa’s largest tech hub.

“This suspension is nothing more than state-sanctioned denial of free speech and should be reversed immediately. #KeepitOn.”

Power was the 28th US Ambassador to the United Nations from 2013 to 2017.

Twitter: Think of how ban will affect economy, young people – Makinde tells Buhari

Last Friday, federal authorities sanctioned Twitter indefinitely after Buhari’s tweet was deleted.

The President had stated that many of those misbehaving in the South-East region were young and did not witness the destruction and loss of lives that occurred during the civil war.

“Those of us in the fields for 30 months, who went through the war, will treat them in the language they understand”, the former General warned.

After the deletion, Information Minister, Lai Mohammed, condemned “the persistent use of the platform for activities that are capable of undermining Nigeria’s corporate existence”.

The government directed the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) to start the process of licensing all OTT and social media operations.

The NBC was also ordered to force broadcast stations – Television and Radio – to stop using Twitter or face the consequences.

The actions are being criticized by Nigerians, countries, local and international organizations.

On Tuesday, the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) and concerned citizens filed a lawsuit against Buhari administration over “the unlawful suspension of Twitter”.

The plaintiffs, in the suit filed by legal luminary, Femi Falana (SAN), want an end to the criminalization of Nigerians using the microblogging site, the repression of: human rights, freedom of expression, access to information and media freedom.

FG, keep using Twitter – National Assembly minority caucus tells Nigerians

 

The joint minority caucus of the National Assembly on Wednesday urged users of suspended microblogging platform, Twitter to ignore the decision of the Federal Government and continue using the medium.

Recall that the FG had last Friday suspended the operation of Twitter in Nigeria for allegedly allowing contents that are capable of threatening the corporate existence of Nigerians.

Despite the ban, most users have continued to access the platform via the use of Virtual Private Network (VPN).

Some top politicians including religious leaders have defied the ban by tweeting via their handles.

Security challenges: Minority caucus slams Buhari, vows to take measures if insecurity persists

The decision of the joint caucus was contained in a statement issued by Minority Leader House of Representatives, Ndudi Elumelu, and the Senate Minority Leader, Senator Eyinnaya Abaribe.

The statement reads in part, “The Joint Minority Caucus recognizes the provisions of Articles 19 and 20 of the United Nations Charter on Fundamental Human Rights, which Nigeria is a signatory to, as well as provisions of Sections 39 and 36 (12) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), and notes that by these provisions no one will be violating any law for using twitter in Nigeria.

“As lawmakers, the Joint Caucus is pained by the anguish Nigerians, especially the youths, who find the use of twitter as a means of livelihood and genuine social interaction, are passing through just because the APC-led Federal Government feels slighted that an individual’s post, was deleted by Twitter for ethical violation.”

Nnamdi Kanu orders IPOB to destabilize Nigeria using Twitter – Lai Mohammed

 

The Federal Government has lamented that Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, is using Twitter to destabilize Nigeria.

Lai Mohammed, the Minister of Information and Culture, disclosed this at an interview with BBC News Africa.

Mohammed noted that Kanu uses Twitter to direct members of IPOB to attack policemen, soldiers, correctional centres and offices of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.

The minister lamented that Twitter has failed to sanction the IPOB leader for using the platform to destabilize Nigeria.

Nigerians mock Buhari govt for announcing suspension of Twitter via Twitter

Lai Mohammed said, “IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu in particular, his platform of choice to destabilise the country is Twitter.

“Twitter is actually the platform of choice for the separatist leader who resides outside Nigeria but issues directives for his members to attack the symbols of authority such as policemen, soldiers, correctional centres, electoral offices.

“This has been done willfully and consistently without consequences using always the Twitter platform.”

The Minister had last week disclosed the ban on Twitter in Nigeria.

Nigeria vs Twitter: Only Biden can face Buhari – US Intel expert, Matthew Page

 

Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari may not reverse the ban on Twitter unless United States President Joe Biden intervenes in the standoff which entered day 6 today.

Former US intelligence community’s top Nigeria specialist, Matthew Page, said this in an interview with in reaction to the latest demand by the world power.

Samantha Power, currently the US Agency for International Development (USAID) Administrator, illustrated Nigeria’s action against the company as ‘an aggression against free speech’.

The ex-US Ambassador to the United Nations (UN) affirmed that nearly 40 million Nigerians use Twitter, and that “the country is home to Africa’s largest tech hub”.

“This suspension is nothing more than state-sanctioned denial of free speech and should be reversed immediately”, Power requested.

Twitter is an American microblogging and social networking service.

The 44-year-old CEO, Jack Dorsey, visited Nigeria in November 2019.

Asked if the US government may decide to retaliate, Page said that going by the current attitude of the Biden administration, there may be no reprisal.

The associate fellow of the Chatham House Africa Programme in London said he was seeing “a very muted response”.

“I’ve witnessed the internal hand-wringing and reluctance to levy visa bans in much clearer situations, e.g. specific senior officials engaging in corruption or human rights abuses.

“Since this is government policy, any policy move by the US would have to target the state itself, and I don’t see the Embassy officials (at least) having the wherewithal to do that.

“The only way that would change is if someone very senior, President Biden or the Secretary of State, insisted that steps be taken and thereby clarified what the US response to Buhari’s decision should be”, the expert said.

Nigerian authorities sanctioned Twitter for deleting the President’s tweet after several citizens reported it for violating the rules of the social media platform.

Angered by incessant attacks on government facilities and the murder of dozens of security operatives in the South-East, Buhari said the perpetrators did not witness the carnage that occurred during the 1967 -1970 Civil War.

“Those of us in the fields for 30 months, who went through the war, will treat them in the language they understand”, he fumed.

The National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) has been directed to license all social media operations.

The NBC will also ensure that broadcast stations – Television and Radio – do not use Twitter until further notice. There will be penalties for the defaulters.

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has gone to court in protest of the alleged “repression of human rights, freedom of expression, access to information and media freedom”.

The ECOWAS Court of Justice is an organ of the 15-member Economic Community of West African States.

Donald Trump hails Buhari for suspending Twitter

 

Donald Trump, a former US President has commended President Muhammadu Buhari for suspending microblogging platform, Twitter.

Trump in a statement he signed on Tuesday urged more countries to ban Twitter and Facebook for not allowing free and open speech.

The Republican who was banned on Twitter and Facebook said, he wished he suspended Twitter when he was President, adding that the platform is evil.

Twitter suspension: Learn from Trump – Dino Melaye tells Buhari

“Congratulations to the people of Nigeria who just banned Twitter because they banned their President.

“More countries should ban Twitter and Facebook for not allowing free and open speech – all voices should be heard.
“In the meantime, competitors will emerge and take hold.

“Who are they to dictate good and evil if they themselves are evil?

“Perhaps, I should have done it when I was President But Zuckerberg kept calling me and coming to the White House for dinner, telling me how great I was. 2024?.”

Twitter ban in Nigeria, five Governors remain active, tweet

 

Many prominent Nigerians have continued to defy the ban on micro-blogging and social media platform, Twitter, despite the threat by the Nigerian government to prosecute Nigerians still posting or using the microblogging site.

Last Friday, President Muhammadu Buhari-led government announced the indefinite suspension of Twitter’s operations in Nigeria over what it termed, “the persistent use of the platform for activities that are capable of undermining Nigeria’s corporate existence.”

The suspension came days after Twitter deleted a controversial tweet by Buhari where he made reference to the 1967 civil war.

Amid the public outcry and criticism that greeted the government’s Twitter suspension, the Attorney General of the Federation, AGF, Abubakar Malami, on Saturday ordered the prosecution of violators of the ban.

Nigerians had immediately opted for Virtual Private Networks (VPN) in a bid to access the platform, daring the police to arrest them and prosecute them.

VPN, a key path for digital anonymity, has enabled Nigeria to trend in different parts of the world.

 gathered that issues relating to Twitter ban in Nigeria have become popular in free VPN locations, especially in the United States, Netherlands, Canada and Ireland.

Just two days ago, ‘Nigeria, ‘TB Joshua, ‘June 12 protest, ‘Buhari, ‘werey, ‘Oyo, ‘Igbo trended in Netherlands, America, Canada and some other countries.

Interestingly, some Governors have been using VPN to access Twitter. Among those yet to comply with Buhari’s order are the Governor of Oyo State, Seyi Makinde, Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State, Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State and Ondo State Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu.

Twitter: Ortom dares FG, tweets, says ban illegal

Although some Governors who were active before the suspension have complied with the directive, the accounts of others who rarely use the platform have remained dormant as usual.

Governor Makinde had, while calling on the Government to rescind the decision, said many would be rendered jobless.

He counselled Buhari not to hamper the operations of thousands of businesses and services, maintaining that the ban is capable of affecting investors’ confidence in the country.

He, however, called for due consideration of the Government due to the implications of its action.

Lending his voice to condemn the ban, Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State tweeting via his official handle, said the ban was illegal.

According to him, it is also an ill-advised move to divert the attention of Nigerians from the FG’s failure to tackle insecurity in parts of the country.

He noted that the ban amounts to suppression of fundamental human rights and gagging of social media.

Similarly, El-Rufai, a leading member of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, tweeted despite the existing order by the Federal Government.

El-Rufai used the banned social media platform to tweet what seems like support for the Federal Government, saying, “Based Nigeria: African country teaches US lesson in how to handle Big Tech tyranny — RT Op-ed.”

Twitter ban: El-Rufai tweets, defy Malami, Buhari govt’s order

However, when reached Ortom’s Chief Press Secretary, Terver Akase, to comment on why his principal didn’t obey the FG’s Twitter ban directive and why he described it as illegal, the CPS said the answer was in the governor’s tweet.

Akase said, “The answer was in the question you asked.

“Even the governor’s tweet and statement we issued, the answer is there.

“So read our statement and the governor’s tweet, you will have the answer there,” he added.

Meanwhile, all efforts made by to get a reaction from the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor of Oyo State, Taiwo Adisa, proved abortive as he could not take his calls.

Also, efforts by  to get a reaction from the Special Adviser to Governor Nasir El-Rufai (Media and Communication), Mr. Muyiwa Adeleke, were not successful as several calls put through to his mobile phone were showing ‘line busy’ as at time of filing this report.