Nigeria’s Minister of Indormation and cultur, Lai Mohammed, has opened up on why popular micro blogging platform, twitter was banned in Nigeria.
According to the controversial government official, in contrast with what people thought, the platform was not banned because President Muhammadu Buhari’s tweet was deleted
The Minister who appeared on an NTA programme 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 the 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.”