Twitter Has Apologized To Federal Govt, Promise To Follow Orders – Attorney-General Tells Court

The Nigerian government had cited the persistent use of the platform for activities capable of undermining Nigeria’s corporate existence as the reason for the suspension.

Abubakar Malami, the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice has made a new claim.

The man says Twitter Inc has apologised to President Muhammadu Buhari’s regime and vowed to abide by the country’s rules.

The Buhari-led government had on June 4 announced the suspension of Twitter in Nigeria. Telecommunication companies started blocking access to Twitter on June 5, after they received a directive from the Nigerian Communications Commission to block access to the social media platform.

The Nigerian government had cited the persistent use of the platform for activities capable of undermining Nigeria’s corporate existence as the reason for the suspension.

Following the ban, groups including the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) had dragged the government to the ECOWAS court.

In defence, Malami told the ECOWAS court of Justice that Twitter tendered an apology to the current administration.

“The Court should also take a Judicial Notice that Twitter Inc Service had already approached the Defendant with an apology and a promise to be law-abiding to all the countries rules, regulations and policies,” Malami said, in a document seen by Peoples Gazette.

The court adjourned the hearing until January 2022 for a ruling.

Buhari on Friday directed that the Twitter ban should be conditionally lifted.

He made the announcement in his nationwide broadcast to Nigerians to mark Nigeria’s 61st Independence Anniversary.

According to Buhari, some social media users should be blamed for the ban by misusing the platform to propagate fake news and promote religious and ethnic sentiments.