THE Federal Government has said microblogging platform Twitter provided a platform for those who want to destabilise the country.
Minister of information and Culture Lai Mohammed made the claim at an Inter-Ministerial Press Briefing organised to present President Muhammadu Buhari’s scorecard between 2015 and 2023.
The minister said the Nigerian government is monitoring activities on the platform following the recent change in the ownership of the social media company.
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Elon Musk, an American billionaire, recently took control of Twitter and introduced major changes.
The acquisition of Twitter by Musk began on April 14, 2022, and was concluded on October 27, 2022, after months of back and forth, lawsuits and verbal mudslinging.
Mohammed noted that although there are no plans to ban any social media platform, the Federal Government has resolved not to allow the spread of fake news, disinformation and hate speech.
He added that the government has continued to engage positively with different social media platforms, including Facebook, Google (owners of YouTube) and Twitter.
Making reference to the issues that led to the ban on Twitter by the Federal Government, Mohammed added, “Let me say this: We are closely monitoring the evolving developments at Twitter. It has never been our intention to ban any social media platform or stifle free speech. Not at all. What happened in the case of Twitter is well known to all.
“Twitter became a platform of choice for those who want to destabilise Nigeria, rising fake news, disinformation and hate speech. No nation will allow any social media platform to plunge it into anarchy. Definitely not Nigeria.
“But we have continued to engage positively with the different social media platforms, including Facebook, Google and Twitter.
“We have no intention of banning any social media platform again. But we will also not sit by and allow any platform whatsoever to throw our nation into crisis.”
Nurudeen Akewushola is an investigative reporter and fact-checker with The ICIR. He believes courageous in-depth investigative reporting is the key to social justice, accountability and good governance in society. You can reach him via nyahaya@icirnigeria.org and @NurudeenAkewus1 on Twitter.