According to the Presidency, the Buhari administration ban on Twitter is a way of protecting and safeguarding all citizens from the disruptive and divisive influences of social media.
Malam Garba Shehu, the President’s Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, made the announcement on Saturday in Abuja.
Shehu, in response to Twitter’s removal of President Muhammadu Buhari’s tweets and the subsequent mixed reactions from the public, described Twitter’s action as disappointing.
He claimed that the government’s action was not a reaction to Twitter’s absurd deletion of Buhari’s tweet.
According to him, Twitter’s temporary suspension is more than just a reaction to the removal of the president’s post.
He claimed that the presidency post was never a threat, but rather a statement of fact.
He stated, “In Nigeria, there has been a litany of problems with the social media platform, where misinformation and fake news spread through it have had real-world violent consequences.”
”All the while, the company has evaded responsibility. Nonetheless, President Buhari’s tweet was removed, which was disappointing.
“The censorship appeared to be based on a misunderstanding of the challenges that Nigeria faces today.
”In his address to the United Nations General Assembly, UNGA in 2019, the President stated that “the world was shocked and startled by the massacre in New Zealand by a lone gunman who took the lives of 50 worshippers”, he said.
As a result, the presidential aide maintained that major technology companies must be aware of their responsibilities.
”They must not be allowed to continue facilitating the spread of religious, racist, xenophobic, and false messages capable of inciting entire communities against one another, resulting in the loss of many lives. Some countries may be torn apart as a result of this.
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”A terrorist organization (IPOB) poses a significant threat to Nigerian citizens’ safety and security.
”When the President said they would be treated “in a language they understand,” he was simply reiterating that their force would be met with force.
“The government cannot be expected to give in to terrorists.
”IPOB is illegal under Nigerian law. Its members assassinate innocent Nigerians. They assassinate police officers and set fire to government property. They now have a sizable arsenal of weapons and bombs spread across the country.
”Twitter does not appear to understand the national trauma of our country’s civil war. This administration will not allow a repeat of that tragedy,” he added.
Twitter ban: Presidency safeguarding
