Nigerian Govt. Orders TV, Radio Stations to Deactivate Twitter Accounts

The National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) has ordered all broadcasting stations in Nigeria to suspend the use of the popular microblogging platform, Twitter.

This was contained in a statement issued by its Director-General, Armstrong Idachaba, on Monday morning.

Mr Idachaba said television and radio stations are advised to de-install Twitter handles and “desist from using Twitter as a source (UGC) of information gathering for News and programmes presentation especially Phone-in.”

This is coming after the federal government’s ban on Twitter activities in Nigeria.

PREMIUM TIMES reported how Nigeria’s information minister, Lai Mohammed, announced a ban on the activities of the microblogging platform on Friday after Twitter deleted a controversial post by President Muhammadu Buhari.

Mr Mohammed also ordered the NBC to “immediately commence the process of licensing all OTT and social media operations in Nigeria.”

Owing to the ban, Nigerians have been denied access to Twitter and can only access it by bypassing domain restrictions through alternative platforms.

The suspension is sequel to Twitter’s sanction after Mr Buhari’s controversial tweet about the civil war which some Nigerian users flagged and Twitter said violated its rules.

The government, in its response, accused the platform of bias against President Buhari and “undermining Nigeria’s corporate existence.”.