Nigeria suspends Twitter operations ‘indefinitely’, after it removed President’s tweet

Nigeria announced on Friday that it was suspending Twitter operations in the country, saying the platform was being used for activities “capable of undermining Nigeria’s corporate existence.”

The information ministry said the federal government had ”suspended (Twitter) indefinitely,” in a statement that came two days after the social media giant deleted a remark on President Muhammadu Buhari’s official account for breaking its regulations.

When asked about the details of the suspension, a ministerial aide told Reuters: “Wait and see how things will turn out.”

As of the early hours of Saturday, Twitter’s website was inaccessible in Nigeria on some mobile carriers, while its app and website worked on others, according to Reuters tests in Lagos and Abuja.

Twitter is investigating its “deeply concerning” suspension of operations by the Nigerian government, and “will provide updates when we know more,” the company said in a statement.

On Wednesday, the U.S. tech firm said Buhari’s post threatening to punish groups blamed for attacks on government buildings had violated Twitter’s “abusive behaviour” policy.

In April, the information minister reacted angrily when Twitter chose neighbouring Ghana for its first African office. He said the company had been influenced by media misrepresentations of Nigeria, including reports of crackdowns on protests last year.

Demonstrators calling for police reform had used social media to organise, raise money and share alleged proof of police harassment. Twitter’s chief executive, Jack Dorsey, tweeted https://twitter.com/jack/status/1316485283777519620?s=20 to encourage his followers to donate.

In the protests’ wake, Mohammed called for “some form of regulation” on social media to combat “fake news”.