The Federal Government on Monday says it will lift the ban imposed on Twitter on one condition.
Geoffrey Onyeama, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, gave the condition when he met with envoys from the UK, US and others to clarify issues around the Twitter ban.
According to the minister, the “condition (for lifting the ban) would be responsible use of the social media and that really has to be it.”
He added, “Lives matter; Nigerian lives matter and we have to do everything we can to preserve Nigerian lives. When we feel our goals are threatened, actions need to be taken.”
Onyeama said the ban on Twitter became necessary “to stop them to be used as platforms for destabilisation and facilitation of criminality or encouragement of criminalities. We want to use social media for good.”
Onyeama said there is no definite timeline for the reversal of the ban.
WUZUPNIGERIA reports that the FG had on Friday slammed an indefinite ban on Twitter after the microblogging platform deleted some tweets by the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd).
Announcing the ban, Lai Mohammed, the Minister of Information, explained that the decision was taken for alleged undue interference.
The action of the government had sparked global outrage.
Reacting, the Diplomatic Missions Of Canada, The European Union (Delegation To Nigeria), The Republic Of Ireland, The United Kingdom And The United States, in a statement, rejected the action.
“We strongly support the fundamental human right of free expression and access to information as a pillar of democracy in Nigeria as around the world and these rights apply online as well as offline.”
“Banning systems of expression is not the answer. These measures inhibit access to information and commerce at precisely the moment when Nigeria needs to foster inclusive dialogue and expression of opinions, as well as share vital information in this time of the COVID-19 pandemic,” the statement had read.
