Nigeria suspends Twitter after president鈥檚 post removed

The Twitter account of Muhammadu Buhari, president of Nigeria. (Twitter)
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  • Twitter said聽Buhari鈥檚 post threatening to punish groups blamed for attacks on government buildings had violated Twitter鈥檚 鈥渁busive behavior鈥� policy
  • Information minister says the platform had been "persistently used for activities that are capable of undermining Nigeria鈥檚 corporate existence鈥�

ABUJA: Nigeria said on Friday it had indefinitely suspended Twitter鈥檚 activities, two days after the social media giant removed a post from President Muhammadu Buhari that threatened to punish regional secessionists.
Information Minister Lai Mohammed said the government had acted because of 鈥渢he persistent use of the platform for activities that are capable of undermining Nigeria鈥檚 corporate existence.鈥�
Mohammed did not spell out what form the suspension would take or give more details on the undermining activities. His ministry also announced Twitter鈥檚 suspension on Twitter .
When asked about the details of the suspension, a ministerial aide told Reuters: 鈥淲ait and see how things will turn out.鈥�
As of the early hours of Saturday, Twitter鈥檚 website was inaccessible in Nigeria on some mobile carriers, while its app and website worked on others, according to Reuters tests in Lagos and Abuja.
Twitter is investigating its 鈥渄eeply concerning鈥� suspension of operations by the Nigerian government, and 鈥渨ill provide updates when we know more,鈥� the company said in a statement.
On Wednesday, the US tech firm said Buhari鈥檚 post threatening to punish groups blamed for attacks on government buildings had violated Twitter鈥檚 鈥渁busive behavior鈥� policy.
In April, the information minister reacted angrily when Twitter chose neighboring Ghana for its first African office. He said the company had been influenced by media misrepresentations of Nigeria, including reports of crackdowns on protests last year.
Demonstrators calling for police reform had used social media to organize, raise money and share alleged proof of police harassment. Twitter鈥檚 chief executive, Jack Dorsey, tweeted to encourage his followers to donate.
In the protests鈥� wake, Mohammed called for 鈥渟ome form of regulation鈥� on social media to combat 鈥渇ake news.鈥�
A spokesperson for Airtel, one of Nigeria鈥檚 largest mobile carriers, on Friday declined to say whether the company had received any government directives about the suspension.
MTN, the largest mobile carrier, did not respond to calls and a message seeking comment. (Reporting by Felix Onuah in Abuja; Additional reporting by Sheila Dang in Dallas, Angela Ukomadu, Alexis Akwagyiram, Nneka Chile and Seun Sanni in Lagos, and Paul Carsten in Abuja; Writing by Alexis Akwagyiram; Editing by Andrew Heavens/ Jonathan Oatis and Grant McCool)