Buhari: I’ve asked that Twitter suspension be lifted if conditions are met

President Muhammadu Buhari says he has directed that Twitter suspension be lifted, only if the conditions are met to allow the citizens to use the platform for positive engagements.

Buhari disclosed this on Friday during an address to mark Nigeria’s 61st Independence Day anniversary.

The president said his administration is committed to ensuring that digital companies use their platform to enhance the lives of Nigerian citizens.

“Following the suspension of Twitter operations, Twitter Inc. reached out to the Federal Government of Nigeria to resolve the impasse. Subsequently, I constituted a Presidential Committee to engage Twitter to explore the possibility of resolving the issue,” he said.

“The committee, along with its technical team, has engaged with Twitter and have addressed a number of key issues. These are National Security and Cohesion; Registration, Physical presence and Representation; Fair Taxation; Dispute Resolution; and Local Content.

“Following the extensive engagements, the issues are being addressed and I have directed that the suspension be lifted but only if the conditions are met to allow our citizens to continue the use of the platform for business and positive engagements.

“As a country, we are committed to ensuring that digital companies use their platform to enhance the lives of our citizens, respect Nigeria’s sovereignty, cultural values and promote online safety.”

The president said some users have misused social media to execute criminal activities, adding that his government suspended Twitter to check these alleged activities.

“Social media is a very useful platform that has enabled millions of Nigerians to connect with loved ones, promote their businesses, socialise, and access news and other information,” he added.

“Recent events have shown that the platform is not just an innocuous platform for information dissemination.

“Rather some users have misused the platform to organise, coordinate, and execute criminal activities, propagate fake news, and promote ethnic and religious sentiments.”

In June, the federal government suspended Twitter’s operation days after a tweet by the president on the 1967 civil war was deleted by the microblogging site. The tweet had threatened to treat members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) in the “language they understand”.