The United States condemned the Nigerian government's decision to ban Twitter and called for a reversal. The Biden administration also condemned the African country's government for targeting individuals who use the social media platform.
Ned Price, the US State Department spokesperson, tweeted "We call on the government to respect freedom of expression by reversing this suspension."
The United States condemns the ongoing suspension of Twitter by the Government of Nigeria. We call on the government to respect freedom of expression by reversing this suspension. https://t.co/bOkcgc2kDz
— Ned Price (@StateDeptSpox) June 10, 2021
The US is concerned that the Nigerian National Broadcasting Commission ordered all television and radio broadcasters to stop using Twitter after a government directive.
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We support Nigeria as it works towards unity, peace, and prosperity. As its partner, we call on the government to respect its citizens’ right to freedom of expression by reversing this suspension, the statement added.
Nigeria Today shared a joint statement from the diplomatic missions of Canada, the European Union, the Republic of Ireland, the United Kingdom and the US conveying their disappointment over the Nigerian Government’s announcement of suspending Twitter and proposing registration requirements for other social media.
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The company, along with human rights groups such as Amnesty International, also called the suspension deeply concerning.
After banning Twitter, the Nigeria Government had opened an account on India's microblogging platform Koo. Koo CEO Aprameya Radhakrishna posted on Twitter a welcome message along with a screenshot of the Nigerian government's account on Koo.
