U.S based microblogging platform, Twitter, which was suspended in the country for 222 days ago, by the Nigerian government has reacted to the lifting of the ban.
AbaCityBlog reports that Nigerians can now access their Twitter accounts without using a Virtual Private Network (VPN) which they resorted to during the period of suspension.
Announcing its official return via its Twitter Public Policy account, the social media giant assured the Nigerian government that it is committed to driving civic participation.
It tweeted, “We are pleased that Twitter has been restored for everyone in Nigeria. Our mission in Nigeria and around the world is to serve the public conversation.
“We are deeply committed to Nigeria, where Twitter is used by people for commerce, cultural engagement, and civic participation.
“We’re committed to integrating diverse perspectives that make our service better for everyone.”
We are pleased that Twitter has been restored for everyone in Nigeria. Our mission in Nigeria & around the world, is to serve the public conversation.
We are deeply committed to Nigeria, where Twitter is used by people for commerce, cultural engagement, and civic participation.— Global Government Affairs (@GlobalAffairs) January 13, 2022
On Wednesday, the Nigerian government lifted the suspension of Twitter operations in the country following approval by President Muhammadu Buhari.
The development was announced by the Chairman Technical Committee, Nigeria-Twitter Engagement and Director-General National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi.
Kashifu, in a statement in Abuja, had said the approval was given following a memo written to the President by Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Ali Ibrahim.
He said: “The Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN) directs me to inform the public that President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, has approved the lifting of the suspension of Twitter operation in Nigeria effective from 12am tonight, 13th January 2022.
“The approval was given following a memo written to the President by the Honourable Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Prof Isa Ali Ibrahim.
“In the memo, the minister updated and requested the President’s approval for the lifting based on the Technical Committee Nigeria-Twitter Engagement’s recommendation.”
Buhari’s government banned the use of microblogging site, Twitter in Nigeria on June 4, 2021, which attracted condemnations from inside and outside the country.
Some countries, groups and prominent individuals have described the ban as a gross violation of human rights.
