Nigeria banned Twitter from operating in the country in response to the organisation’s promotion of instability and acts of terrorism in the country, the Minister of Information, Alhaji Lai Mohammed told the House of Representatives on Tuesday.
Mohammed spoke at a public hearing on the Twitter ban organised by a joint committee of the House, to which he was summoned to appear. He informed the members that even after repeated reminders by the government, Twitter went ahead to provide separatist groups the platform to promote terrorism in the country.
The Minister said the ban was hinged on the provisions of section 45 of the 1999 Constitution, the Company and Allied Matters Act and as well as the anti-terrorism act among others.
Mohammed mentioned the case of the Indigenous People of Biafra, to which he said Twitter also provided the platform to spread hate news and ordering the killing of soldiers, policemen and burning public institutions, although it has been banned by a a court in the country.
Critics of the ban have said it violates people’s liberties, but argued that personal liberty can always be suspended when the rights of others are at stake.
