Former Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, has described the suspension of the microblogging platform Twitter, now known as X, as one of the most difficult decisions he made while serving in government.
In June 2021, the Federal Government announced an indefinite suspension of Twitter operations in Nigeria, citing concerns over the platform’s use for activities capable of threatening the country’s corporate existence.
Mohammed revisited the decision in his newly launched book, Headlines & Soundbites: Media Moments That Defined An Administration, unveiled in Abuja on Wednesday. In Chapter 14 of the 601-page publication, titled “Silencing the Bird: The Story of Nigeria’s Twitter Suspension,” the former minister detailed the circumstances that led to the shutdown and the eventual restoration of the platform.
According to Mohammed, the decision was particularly difficult because of its economic and democratic implications. He said the suspension had the potential to negatively affect Nigerians who relied on the platform for business, advertising and influencing, while also raising concerns about the government’s commitment to freedom of expression and democratic openness.
Despite these considerations, he maintained that national security concerns outweighed other factors, stressing that public interest must take precedence over individual interests in governance. He argued that the unregulated and irresponsible use of social media, especially Twitter, posed significant risks to national stability.
Mohammed acknowledged that the suspension was met with widespread backlash, noting that condemnation from Nigerians was swift and intense. He recalled that many users flooded the official handle of the Federal Ministry of Information and Culture to express their anger and frustration over the decision.
