Lai Mohammed reveals why Buhari approved infamous Twitter ban in 2021
Former Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, has offered a detailed, behind-the-scenes account of the federal government’s controversial “indefinite” suspension of Twitter (now X) operations in June 2021, revealing that former President Muhammadu Buhari personally approved the decision after a direct inquiry.
In his new book, “Headlines & Soundbites: Media Moments That Defined An Administration,” launched on Wednesday in Abuja, Mohammed addressed the popular claim that the ban was a retaliatory move after Twitter deleted President Buhari’s tweet two days prior.
“The coincidence of timing created the optics problem that shaped both domestic and international reactions,” Mohammed wrote, but insisted the ban was purely a matter of national security.
The former Minister disclosed the conversation he had with President Buhari before the suspension:
“Are you suspending Twitter because it deleted my post? I answered in the negative. Do you have the capacity to block the platform? I answered in the affirmative.”
Mohammed stated that the now-late President Buhari then gave his approval.
He admitted that suspending the platform was one of his toughest decisions, citing the negative impact on Nigerians who used the platform for business and the projected “optics” regarding freedom of expression.
However, he maintained that these concerns were outweighed by the “threat to national security posed by a freewheeling and irresponsible use of social media platforms,” particularly during the #EndSARS protest where he claims Twitter amplified fake news and disinformation.
Mohammed also accused Twitter of “double standards,” citing its refusal to delete an “inciting and violent” tweet by Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), while quickly deleting the President’s post.
The 222-day suspension was eventually lifted on January 12, 2022, after the government reached an agreement with the social media giant.
