Trump Backs Nigeria Banning Twitter, Calls For Other Countries To Follow

Former President Donald Trump on Tuesday came out in support of
the Nigerian government’s decision to block access to Twitter in
the West African country — and called on more nations to follow
suit.

“Congratulations to the country of Nigeria, who just banned
Twitter because they banned their President,” Trump said in an
emailed statement.

“More COUNTRIES should ban Twitter and Facebook for not allowing
free and open speech—all voices should be heard.

“In the meantime,” the former president continued, “competitors
will emerge and take hold. Who are they to dictate good and evil if
they themselves are evil? Perhaps I should have done it while I was
President. But [Facebook founder Mark] Zuckerberg kept calling me
and coming to the White House for dinner telling me how great I
was. 2024?”

Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Information and Culture announced
Friday that Twitter’s operations had been “suspended indefinitely”
due to its use for “activities that are capable of undermining
Nigeria’s corporate existence.” The ministry was widely mocked for
posting its statement about blocking Twitter on its Twitter
account.

Earlier last week, the social media giant that has been rebuked
for censoring mostly conservative viewpoints, deleted a tweet by
Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari that appeared to threaten
secessionist groups in the Biafra region.

“Many of those misbehaving today are too young to be aware of
the destruction and loss of lives that occurred during the Nigerian
Civil War,” Buhari tweeted, referring to the Biafra Conflict, which
killed 1 million people between 1967 and 1970. “Those of us in the
fields for 30 months, who went through the war, will treat them in
the language they understand.”

In addition to deleting the tweet as violating its “abusive
behavior” policy, Twitter suspended Buhari’s account for 12
hours.

“We are deeply concerned by the blocking of Twitter in Nigeria.
Access to the free and #OpenInternet is an essential human right in
modern society,” Twitter said in a statement Saturday. “We will
work to restore access for all those in Nigeria who rely on Twitter
to communicate and connect with the world.”

Trump himself received a permanent ban from Twitter in the wake
of the Jan. 6 riot at the US Capitol. Facebook announced Friday
that its own ban on the former president would remain in place
until at least Jan. 7, 2023, but could be extended. Last month, a
Facebook review board upheld the president’s suspension, but
criticized its open-ended aspect.

Trump called Facebook’s decision “an insult to the
record-setting 75M people, plus many others, who voted for us in
the 2020 Rigged Presidential Election.

“They shouldn’t be allowed to get away with this censoring and
silencing, and ultimately, we will win,” Trump added. “Our Country
can’t take this abuse anymore!”

Former President Donald Trump on Tuesday came out in support of
the Nigerian government’s decision to block access to Twitter in
the West African country — and called on more nations to follow
suit.

“Congratulations to the country of Nigeria, who just banned
Twitter because they banned their President,” Trump said in an
emailed statement.

“More COUNTRIES should ban Twitter and Facebook for not allowing
free and open speech—all voices should be heard.

“In the meantime,” the former president continued, “competitors
will emerge and take hold. Who are they to dictate good and evil if
they themselves are evil? Perhaps I should have done it while I was
President. But [Facebook founder Mark] Zuckerberg kept calling me
and coming to the White House for dinner telling me how great I
was. 2024?”

Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Information and Culture announced
Friday that Twitter’s operations had been “suspended indefinitely”
due to its use for “activities that are capable of undermining
Nigeria’s corporate existence.” The ministry was widely mocked for
posting its statement about blocking Twitter on its Twitter
account.

Earlier last week, the social media giant that has been rebuked
for censoring mostly conservative viewpoints, deleted a tweet by
Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari that appeared to threaten
secessionist groups in the Biafra region.

“Many of those misbehaving today are too young to be aware of
the destruction and loss of lives that occurred during the Nigerian
Civil War,” Buhari tweeted, referring to the Biafra Conflict, which
killed 1 million people between 1967 and 1970. “Those of us in the
fields for 30 months, who went through the war, will treat them in
the language they understand.”

In addition to deleting the tweet as violating its “abusive
behavior” policy, Twitter suspended Buhari’s account for 12
hours.

“We are deeply concerned by the blocking of Twitter in Nigeria.
Access to the free and #OpenInternet is an essential human right in
modern society,” Twitter said in a statement Saturday. “We will
work to restore access for all those in Nigeria who rely on Twitter
to communicate and connect with the world.”

Trump himself received a permanent ban from Twitter in the wake
of the Jan. 6 riot at the US Capitol. Facebook announced Friday
that its own ban on the former president would remain in place
until at least Jan. 7, 2023, but could be extended. Last month, a
Facebook review board upheld the president’s suspension, but
criticized its open-ended aspect.

Trump called Facebook’s decision “an insult to the
record-setting 75M people, plus many others, who voted for us in
the 2020 Rigged Presidential Election.

“They shouldn’t be allowed to get away with this censoring and
silencing, and ultimately, we will win,” Trump added. “Our Country
can’t take this abuse anymore!”