Twitter Ban Is Emerging Totalitarianism Reps Tell F.G

The Nigerian Government has threatened to suspend all social media platforms that allow their apps to propagate division of the country through inflammatory statements or posts.

The Minister for Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, stated this before the House of Representatives Joint Committee on Information, Justice, and Communication on Tuesday at the National Assembly in Abuja while answering questions on Twitter's ban microblogging site.

He said Twitter made its platform available to choose people who want to destabilise and cause disunity in Nigeria.

On whether any channel of dialogue had been opened with Twitter, the minister said, “we tried to, but they rebuffed us. They are not known to us. They are not registered, but we hope we will be able to engage them”, as he lamented that the organisation had no investment in Nigeria, but in Ghana, while the target market was Nigeria.

The minister also denied the widely held opinion that the move was intended to stifle free speech and press freedom.

“There was no intention of the federal government to stifle free speech in the country. The only reason we suspended Twitter is that it was promoting disunity. Its activities are inimical to the unity of the country,” Mohammed insisted.

He said the government would not hesitate to suspend other social platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, Google hangout, and others if they are promoting posts or statements capable of destabilising the country.

There was a mild drama when the Convener, Coalition in Defence Of Nigerian Democracy, Ariyo Dare Eye, who was at the hearing venue, raised his hand to contribute but was ruled out of order and shut down by the Chairman of the Committee, Olusegun Odebunmi.

Odebunmi insisted that only the minister would be allowed to make a presentation.

The activist added that the National Assembly is meant for all Nigerians and that he was at the hearing to observe the investigative hearing and ask questions as a Nigerian.

He said the minister was wrong in his presentation, adding that he defended the need for Nigeria to have independent media when he was in the opposition.

He wondered how the same person changed overnight to become an advocate of regulated social media.

Meanwhile, some of the committee members expressed concern at the decision and action of the executive to suspend Twitter, stating that the country was sliding into totalitarianism.

[yorubafirstmedia]

even if there is no Nigeria people will still continue to do their business

[nwachukwuuchenna]

The truth is always bitter.
It is natural to close any platform used to say any thing against the government in .
Since you love freedom of speech which platform have you created for criticisms.
It is not only Twitter let him close all the social media.