Twitter moves to resolve stand-off with Abuja

Twitter says it is ready to meet for an open discussion with the Nigerian Government to address ‘mutual concerns’ and ensure that the service is restored. Nigeria this month indefinitely suspended Twitter's activities after the social media giant removed a post from President Muhammadu Buhari that threatened to punish regional secessionists. Information Minister Lai Mohammed said the government had acted because of ‘the persistent use of the platform for activities that were capable of undermining Nigeria's corporate existence’. The post referred to Nigeria's civil war four decades ago, as a veiled threat towards a secessionist movement in the south-east of the country. The Premium Times reports that the microblogging platform, which is currently accessible to Nigerians who have bypassed government's restrictions, promised that it will continue to advocate free and open Internet everywhere. Attorney-General Abubakar Malami has warned that anyone violating the ban would be prosecuted. The international community, including the EU, the UK, US, Ireland and Canada, have condemned the ban.

Former US President Donald Trump has congratulated Abuja over the ban. ‘Congratulations to the country 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,’ said Trump, who once referred to African nations as ‘s---holes’. News24 reports that he added that 'perhaps I should have done it while I was President ... but Zuckerberg kept calling me and coming to the White House for dinner telling me how great I was’. Trump was permanently banned from Twitter after the deadly Capitol insurrection in early January, which he egged on. He was also indefinitely suspended from Facebook after the Capitol attack.