President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the lifting of the suspense of Twitter operations in Nigeria.
This was announced by Kashifu Inuwa, Chairman Technical Committee Nigeria-Twitter Engagement and Director-General National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), in a statement on Wednesday.
According to Inuwa, the suspense will be lifted from 12 am tonight, 13th January 2022.
Okay.ng recalls that the Federal Government had on 5th June 2021 suspended the operations of Twitter for allegedly allowing some contents able of threatening the commercial actuality of the country on its platform.
The statement reads
The Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN) directs me to inform the public that President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, has approved the lifting of the suspense of Twitter operation in Nigeria effective from 12 am tonight, 13th January 2022. The blessing was given following a memo written to the President by the Honorable Minister of Dispatches and Digital Economy, Prof Isa Ali Ibrahim. In the Memo, the Minister updates and requests the President’s blessing for the lifting grounded on the Technical Committee Nigeria-Twitter Engagement’s recommendation.
- You may recall that on 5th June 2021, the FGN suspended the operation of Twitter through an advertisement made by the Honorable Minister of Information and Culture, Alh Lai Mohammed. Later, the President constituted a seven- man Presidential Committee to engage Twitter Inc. Latterly, in its wisdom, the Presidential Committee set a 20- member Technical Committee comprising all applicable government agencies. The Technical Committee engaged and worked directly with the Twitter platoon.
- The immediate and remote cause of the suspense was the unremitting use of the platform by some unconscionable rudiments for subversive purposes and felonious conditioning, propagating fake news, and centralizing Nigerians along ethnical and religious lines, among others. These issues skirting on National Security, Cohesion and the goods of the abuse of the Twitter platform forced the FGN to suspend the operation of Twitter to address the direct and contributory issues around its operations in Nigeria.
- The new global reality is that digital platforms and their drivers apply enormous influence over the fabric of our society, social commerce and profitable choices. These platforms can be used as either a tool or a armament. Every nation is scuffling with how to balance its operation efficiently. Without balancing, every citizen’s security, sequestration, social well- being, and development are at stake. Thus, our action is a deliberate attempt to recalibrate our relationship with Twitter to achieve the maximum collective benefits for our nation without risking the justified interests of the Company. Our engagement has been veritably regardful, cordial, and successful.
- The process of resolving this impasse between the FGN and TwitterInc. has helped lay a foundation for a mutually salutary future with endless possibilities. Twitter is a platform of choice for numerous Nigerians ranging from youthful originators to public sector officers who find it helpful to engage their followership. Thus, our engagement will help Twitter ameliorate and develop further business models to cover a broader area in Nigeria. Likewise, the FGN looks forward to furnishing a conducive terrain for Twitter and other global tech companies to achieve their implicit and be sustainably profitable in Nigeria.
- While appreciating all Nigerians, especially the vibrant Nigerian youths who have borne with the long delay to resolve this impasse, the FGN is happy to say that the earnings made from this participated public immolation are bottomless. Some of the earnings include
Ongoing profitable and training openings as the Company continues to consider expanding its presence in Nigeria;
Getting a better understanding of how to use the Twitter platform effectively to ameliorate businesses;
Profit generation from the operation of Twitter in Nigeria;
Smooth and coordinated relationship between Nigerian Government and Twitter leading to collective trust;
Reduction of cybercriminal conditioning similar as terrorism, cyberstalking, detest speech,etc.; and
Working with Twitter and other global companies to make an respectable law of conduct following the global stylish practice.
- The FGN has asked Twitter to fulfil some conditions before restoring its services. These conditions addressed legal enrollment of operations, taxation, and managing banned publication in line with Nigerian laws. Twitter has agreed to meet all the conditions set by the FGN. Accordingly, the FGN and Twitter have decided on an prosecution timeline, which has started this week. Our engagement with Twitter opens a new chapter in global digital tactfulness and sets a new functional template for Twitter to come back stronger for the benefit of Nigerians.
The following are the judgments agreed with Twitter.Inc.
i. Twitter has committed to establishing a legal reality in Nigeria during the first quarter of 2022. The legal reality will register with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC). The establishment of the reality is Twitter’s first step in demonstrating its long- term commitment to Nigeria. ii. Twitter has agreed to appoint a designated country representative to interface with Nigerian authorities. The Global Public Policy platoon is also directly available through a devoted communication channel.
a.) Twitter has agreed to misbehave with applicable duty scores on its operations under Nigerian law.
b.) Twitter has agreed to enroll Nigeria in its Partner Support and Law Enforcement Doors. The Partner Support Portal provides a direct channel for government officers and Twitter staff to manage banned content that violates Twitter community rules. At the same time, the Law Enforcement Portal provides a channel for the law enforcement agencies to submit a report with a legal defense where it suspects that content violates Nigerian Laws. Taken together, these represent a comprehensive compliance outfit.
c.) Twitter has agreed to act with a regardful acknowledgement of Nigerian laws and the public culture and history on which similar legislation has been erected and work with the FGN and the broader assiduity to develop
A Law of Conduct in line with global stylish practices, applicable in nearly all developed countries.
- Thus, the FGN lifts the suspense of the Twitter operations in Nigeria from night of 13th January 2022. We encourage all druggies of the Twitter platform to maintain ethical geste and chorus from promoting divisive, dangerous, and distasteful information on the platform. As nationalistic citizens, we need to be aware that anything illegal offline is also illegal online and that committing a crime using a Nigerian Internet Protocol (IP) is synonymous with committing a crime within our governance.
- Considering Twitter’s influence on our republic, our frugality, and the veritably fabric of our commercial actuality as a Nation, our precedence is to acclimatize, not ban, Twitter. The FGN is committed to working with Twitter to do anything possible to help Nigerians align and navigate Twitter algorithmic design to realize its capabilities while avoiding its threats.
- In his blessing, the President appreciates the Presidential Committee led by the Honorable Minister of Information and Culture, Alh Lai Mohammed, for the administrative part and guidance given to the Technical Committee during the engagement. Also, the Presidential Committee commends the Technical Committee for a professional, robust and productive engagement with Twitter Inc. It also appreciates Government Regulatory Agencies and Internet Service Providers who enforced the FGN’s directives during the suspense.
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