FG Agrees to Meet Twitter over Suspension, Appoints Fashola, Lai, Pantami, to Lead Team
The Nigerian government has sai it would be meeting with officials of Twitter to find a way of resolving the suspension order slammed on the operations of the micro-blogging site in the country.
Nigeria’s minister of information and culture, Lai Mohammed, said in a statement on Tuesday that President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the composition of the federal government’s team to engage with Twitter.
Mohamed will chair the Nigerian delegation in the meeting, according the statement.
Others in the team are the attorney-general of the federation and minister of justice, Abubakar Malami; minister of communications and digital economy, Isa Ali Pantami; minister of foreign affairs, Geoffrey Jideofor Kwusike Onyeama; minister of works and housing, Bbabtunde Raji Fashola; and minister of state for labour and employment, Festus Keyamo.
Other relevant government agencies will equally join the team, Mohamed said.
The federal government suspended Twitter from Nigeria after it yanked off President Buhari’s tweet which it said violated its rules. The government reacted by announcing the suspension of the micro-blogging’s operation, saying it has been doing things that are inimical to Nigeria’s peace and undermining its security.
of undermining Nigeria’s corporate existence, Twitter wrote to President Buhari seeking to engage with the Federal Government over the suspension, with a view to charting a path forward.
The Nigerian government has sai it would be meeting with officials of Twitter to find a way of resolving the suspension order slammed on the operations of the micro-blogging site in the country.
Nigeria’s minister of information and culture, Lai Mohammed, said in a statement on Tuesday that President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the composition of the federal government’s team to engage with Twitter.
Mohamed will chair the Nigerian delegation in the meeting, according the statement.
Others in the team are the attorney-general of the federation and minister of justice, Abubakar Malami; minister of communications and digital economy, Isa Ali Pantami; minister of foreign affairs, Geoffrey Jideofor Kwusike Onyeama; minister of works and housing, Bbabtunde Raji Fashola; and minister of state for labour and employment, Festus Keyamo.
Other relevant government agencies will equally join the team, Mohamed said.
The federal government suspended Twitter from Nigeria after it yanked off President Buhari’s tweet which it said violated its rules. The government reacted by announcing the suspension of the micro-blogging’s operation, saying it has been doing things that are inimical to Nigeria’s peace and undermining its security.
The Twitter suspension has provoked an outcry from the international community and rights groups who denounced it as a threat to freedom of expression in Africa’s most populous country.
The government on Monday, the 7th of June, said it was in discussions with Twitter.
“There are discussions ongoing with Twitter, we will see how that progresses, so I cannot say for now the duration of the suspension,” Foreign Minister Geoffrey Onyeama said after a meeting with diplomats on the issue.
“There are conversations, yes, with our partners. We want to use social media for good.”
Twitter has not yet commented but said earlier that it was “deeply concerned” by Nigeria’s move and that it would work “to restore access for all”.
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