NPAN: Twitter’s sincerity on content regulation questionable — but FG overreacted

The Newspaper Proprietors Association of Nigeria (NPAN) says the federal government overreacted by suspending Twitter’s operations in Nigeria. 

The government had, on Friday, announced the indefinite suspension of the social media service because of “the persistent use of the platform for activities that are capable of undermining Nigeria’s corporate existence”.

However, the federal government’s suspension of Twitter came days after the social networking service deleted a post by President Muhammadu Buhari.

In a statement issued by Kabiru Yusuf, NPAN president, the group said it is not news for Twitter to delete content posted by world leaders if such content violates its policy.

It, however, also blamed Twitter for hastily sanctioning the president.

NPAN argued that Twitter’s “sincerity stands questioned” for sparing Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), whom it said has used the social media platform for “provoking and justifying violence”.

“This is not the first time Twitter would sanction world leaders for infractions against its stated policy. It did so to President Donald Trump of the United States of America, to global aplomb when Trump instigated violence against the Capitol,” the statement reads.

“Nigeria has retaliated with the cudgel against Twitter for alleged double standard in a hasty sanctioning of Buhari while pampering an unrestrained Nnamdi Kanu of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB). Kanu has used same Twitter not just for serial hate speeches but for actually provoking and justifying violence in his separatist agitations.

“To the extent that Twitter may have been hasty in sanctioning President Buhari and shown an uneven application of its rules against separatist Kanu, its sincerity stands questioned. It should correct itself.

“However, the Newspaper Proprietors’ Association of Nigeria (NPAN), thinks that the suspension of Twitter’s operation by Nigerian is wrong and an overreaction.”

The group further described the suspension of Twitter as “futile”, adding that the move may cause other platforms “to suspect Nigeria’s intentions towards democratic tenets and act adversarially towards Nigeria”.

It, therefore, called on the federal government to reverse the suspension “in favour of dialogue” with the microblogging site.

“Twitter is a global platform for public communication that has expanded the frontiers of Free Speech and Press Freedom. It is a platform for business that has brought relief to Nigeria’s youthful population who have prospered by its operation,” it said.

“The NPAN believes Twitter as a business is not infallible and can be influenced through high-level engagement, to be a more responsive, liberal platform of public good and not a cynical champion of suspicious causes.

“There should be a compromise: Nigeria needs friends and not enemies at this critical juncture of her existence. She should not play into the hands of the enemies who are relentless in seeking to destroy and ostracise her. Banning Twitter is regressive and should be rescinded in favour of dialogue.”