Nigeria bans Twitter days after it deletes President Buhari's tweet

Nigeria on Friday (local time) indefinitely suspended Twitter's activities two days after the social network deleted a tweet from President Muhammadu Buhari.

"The federal government has suspended, indefinitely, the activities of the microblogging and social networking service Twitter in Nigeria," the Ministry of Information and Culture said in the statement, reported africanews.

Information Minister Lai Mohammed said the government had acted because of "the persistent use of the platform for activities that are capable of undermining Nigeria's corporate existence".

Mohammed did not spell out what form the suspension would take or give more details on the undermining activities. His ministry also announced Twitter's suspension on Twitter.

On Wednesday, the microblogging site deleted a tweet by the President which Nigerians had criticized as a declaration of war. In the deleted tweet, Buhari had made a reference to the country's 30-month civil war in 1967-1970, warning "those who wanted the government to fail" to desist from fomenting trouble.

"Many of those misbehaving today are too young to be aware of the destruction and loss of lives that occurred during the Nigeria civil war. Those of us in the fields for 30 months, who went through the war, will treat them in the language they understand," the president tweeted on Tuesday night.

When asked about the details of the suspension, a ministerial aide told Reuters: "Wait and see how things will turn out."
As of the early hours of Saturday, Twitter's website was inaccessible in Nigeria on some mobile carriers, while its app and website worked on others, according to Reuters tests in Lagos and Abuja.

Twitter is investigating its "deeply concerning" suspension of operations by the Nigerian government, and "will provide updates when we know more," the company said in a statement.

On Wednesday, the US tech firm said Buhari's post threatening to punish groups blamed for attacks on government buildings had violated Twitter's "abusive behaviour" policy.

Earlier, the Nigerian government had expressed doubts about Twitter's mission in the country, accusing the US technology company of double standards and supporting the secessionists in the west African country.

Mohammed took a swipe at Twitter after it deleted a tweet by President Buhari who issued a warning to troublemakers in Nigeria. "We have a country to rule, and we will do so to the best of our ability. Twitter's mission in Nigeria is very suspect, they have an agenda. The mission of Twitter in Nigeria is very suspicious," Mohammed said.

(With inputs from agencies)