We Have No Intention Of Banning Twitter, Social Platforms Again- FG

The Federal government has said it has no plan of banning Twitter or any other social media platform again in the country.

 

Newsonline reports that the Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed, said the news-making round that the Federal government was planning to ban Twitter was false and fake news.

 

Lai Mohammed who stated this on Thursday in Abuja said it was never the intention of the President Buhari administration to ban any social media platform but was made to take the first action because of the activities of fake news merchants.

 

Minister of Information said, “Please permit me to quickly address an issue that has elicited a lot of inquiries from the media in recent times.

 

”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.

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“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?”

 

He added, “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.

 

Lai Mohammed said no nation would allow any social media to plunge its nation into anarchy, which was responsible for the decision of the Federal government to ban Twitter at first.

 

”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,” Lai Mohammed clarified