Mohammed disclosed this in Abuja while speaking at the Third edition of the ministerial media briefing on Thursday.
Nigeria’s information and culture minister, Lai Mohammed has revealed that the government is closely monitoring Twitter under the leadership of its new Chief Executive Officer, Elon Musk.
Mohammed disclosed this in Abuja while speaking at the Third edition of the ministerial media briefing on Thursday.
According to Mohammed, the essence of monitoring the microblogging site is to ensure it does not allow the posting of fake news capable of threatening peace and security in Nigeria.
The minister said even though the government has no plan to ban Twitter again in Nigeria, it will not sit back and watch Nigerians peddle fake news on the microblogging app.
President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration on June 4, 2021, banned Twitter in Nigeria after the platform deleted a post made by the President over a “violation of the company’s abusive behavior policy.”
Despite public outcry and the attendant economic loss caused by the ban, it lasted for 222 days.
At the time the ban was lifted, economists predicted that Nigeria had lost about N546.5 billion.
Although, Musk has said there would be changes regarding the operations of Twitter and that freedom of speech would be maintained, Tribune quoted Mohammed as saying, “Many of your colleagues have called to ask us what will become of our agreement with Twitter in view of the change in its ownership.
“Many have asked for our reaction following reports that there has been a spike in fake news, disinformation, and hate speech since the micro-blogging site changed ownership. Many have even asked us if another ban is in the offing.
“Let me say this: We are closely monitoring the evolving developments at Twitter. It has never been our intention to ban any social media platform or stifle free speech. Not at all. What happened in the case of Twitter is well-known to all.
“Twitter became a platform of choice for those who want to destabilize Nigeria, using fake news, disinformation, and hate speech. No nation will allow any social media platform to plunge it into anarchy. Definitely not Nigeria.
“But we have continued to engage positively with the different social media platforms, including Facebook, Google (owners of YouTube), and Twitter.
“We have no intention of banning any social media platform again. But we will also not sit by and allow any platform whatsoever to throw our nation into crisis.”