REWIND: Buhari called for the regulation of social media in 2019 because of ‘hijack’

June 7, 2021 9:17 am

President Muhammadu Buhari called for the regulation of social media years before the federal government suspended Twitter in Nigeria.

On Friday, Lai Mohammed, minister of information, announced the indefinite suspension of Twitter.

The minister said the decision was made following “the persistent use of the platform for activities that are capable of undermining Nigeria’s corporate existence”.

Twitter’s suspension by the federal government came three days after a post by President Muhammadu Buhari on the 1967 civil war was deleted by the microblogging platform.

Many Nigerians have condemned the decision while accusing the government of threatening freedom of expression.

The United Kingdom, Canada, Republic of Ireland, Norway, the European Union, and the US have also expressed disappointment over the action of the Nigerian government.

Buhari, in 2019, called for the regulation of social media over alleged “hijack and manipulation” of the platforms.

He made the call during the delivery of his keynote speech at the annual investment meeting in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, on April 8, 2019.

“Today, we have a cyber world that is intangible but real. This borderless world is powerful, and it impacts the lives of billions of people, no matter how remote their physical locations are,” he said.

“People work in it. People socialise in it. And people invest in it. This presents enormous opportunities. But it also remains a constant threat if left unregulated.

“On the one hand, it has made the human race more productive and more efficient. Today, we have digital banking, virtual currencies and many social platforms that connect people and cultures.

“On the other hand, we have seen platforms hijacked and manipulated as evidenced by the steady rise in fake news and cybercrimes.

“More recently, we are also witnessing the use of the cyber space to manipulate elections, subvert the democratic rights of citizens as well as propagate violence.

“In effect, the digital world has become the new frontier for both good and evil. Therefore, the challenge for world leaders must be to ensure that this space is inclusive, accessible and safe.

“As earlier observed, the digital world is borderless. In many instances, the criminals in this world are faceless and without physical addresses. This is why we must all come together to protect the good while eliminating the bad.

“Emerging threats are difficult to prevent or manage unilaterally. It has to be a collective effort, led by both public and private sector leaders are here today many of whom are here today.

“A certain level of regulation is needed to preserve the integrity of the digital economy.”