Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed has said that it is unfair to say that the decision to ban Twitter’s operation in the country was because President Muhammadu Buhari’s tweet was deleted.
The Minister who appeared on an NTA program on Friday, June 11, said the decision was taken over the promotion of views that could cause division in the country by the social media platform.
Mohammed also insisted that other social media platforms operating in Nigeria will have to first register with the Corporate Affairs Commission and then apply for licensing with NBC.
He said:
“People have tried to say Twitter was suspended because they deleted the president’s message. I think that is very unfair. We were very clear in what we said. We were very unambiguous that if any platform continues to promote the views of those who want Nigeria to be divided, we will suspend their operations.
“Secondly, we went ahead to say that henceforth, all OTT — over the top — and other social media platforms operating in Nigeria will have to first register with the Corporate Affairs Commission then apply for licensing with the NBC, that is the broadcasting commission.
“We gave the reason that this has become the platform of choice for [a] separatist leader in particular, who stays comfortably in Europe and directs people to attack the symbols of our sovereignty — the symbols of government authorities.”
