BREAKING: FG Gives Condition For Lifting Twitter Ban After Meeting With Envoys

Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, has made it clear to diplomatic envoys that micro-blogging site, Twitter, is not a threat to Nigeria’s cooperate existence, adding that the Federal Government only wants it to be a more “responsible” platform.

He made the clarification in a press briefing on Monday; after a closed-door meeting with the ambassadors of the United Kingdom, the United States, European Union, Ireland and Canada following the joint statement they issued condemning the federal government’s ban on Twitter.

Recall that the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, prior to directing Twitter’s suspension on Friday, accused the social media company of having a suspicious mission in the country.

“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. Has Twitter deleted the violent tweets that Nnamdi Kanu has been sending? Has it? The same Twitter during the ENDSARS protests that were funding ENDSARS protesters, it was the first to close the account of the former president of the US, Trump,” Mohammed had said.

However, Onyeama told newsmen that the FG does not see Twitter as a threat, adding that the suspension was geared towards ensuring that the social media giant takes responsibility in ensuring responsible communication across the country’s internet space.

He said that the President Muhammadu Buhari administration promised to provide security to Nigerians and was wary of expressions that threatened its peaceful coexistence.

“We are not saying Twitter is threatening the country: why we’ve taken the measure is to see to what extent we can rebalance the media.

“We don’t blame the media themselves, these are technologies that develop the world; everybody will not think alike but Nigerian lives matter,” he said.

Regarding the temporary suspension, Onyeama said he could not “say for now; the duration of the suspension”, adding that discussions with the social media company were ongoing.

Giving an insight into FG’s demands to Twitter, he said it was weaved around ” responsible communication”.

On her part, the U.S. Ambassador to Nigeria, Mary Beth Leonard reitariated that the country will continue to push for the freedom of expression.

“We recognize that there are issues of …use of social media. The free access to the ability to express oneself is actually very important and perhaps more important in troubled times,” she said.

She added that the US was aware that incitement was considered as a crime but she advised the federal government to follow judicial processes within the confines of non-violation of human rights, to address such issues

Furthermore, our correspondent observed that the diplomats did not answer a question relating to the actions and rhetorics of the leader of the proscribed Indigenuous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu.