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Lai Mohammed: Twitter Suspension Not About Buhari’s Deleted Handle
Lai Mohammed: Twitter Suspension Not About Buhari’s Deleted Handle
Abuja, Nigeria — Former Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, has revealed that the 2021 suspension of Twitter (now X) in Nigeria was one of the most challenging decisions he faced while in office, citing national security concerns as the primary reason for the action.
In his newly launched book, “Headlines & Soundbites: Media Moments That Defined An Administration”, Mohammed dedicated Chapter 14, titled “Silencing the bird: The story of Nigeria’s Twitter suspension”, to detailing the decision-making process that led to the indefinite suspension of the platform in June 2021.
Mohammed highlighted two factors that made the decision particularly difficult: the impact on Nigerians who relied on Twitter for business promotion and social influence, and the potential perception that the government was restricting freedom of expression and curbing democratic space. Despite these concerns, he argued that threats to national security outweighed other considerations.
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“The condemnations were fast and furious,” Mohammed wrote, noting that many Twitter users expressed anger via the official Federal Ministry of Information and Culture handle (@FMINONigeria). He also clarified that the suspension was not a reaction to the deletion of the late President Muhammadu Buhari’s Twitter handle, explaining that the timing was coincidental and shaped domestic and international perceptions.
Mohammed criticized Twitter for what he described as double standards, citing its failure to remove inciting tweets by Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), while promptly deleting the President’s post. He also stressed that the government had long warned social media platforms against facilitating the spread of fake news, disinformation, and hate speech, especially during the #EndSARS protests of October 2020, when unverified content contributed to violence.
According to Mohammed, President Buhari personally approved the suspension after confirming that the government had the capacity to block the platform and that the decision was not retaliation for deleted tweets.
The federal government eventually lifted the 222-day suspension on January 12, 2022, restoring access to Twitter across Nigeria.
Lai Mohammed: Twitter Suspension Not About Buhari’s Deleted Handle
The Cable
metro
Gunmen Attack Gebbe Community in Kebbi, Many Feared Dead
Gunmen Attack Gebbe Community in Kebbi, Many Feared Dead
Suspected gunmen have launched a deadly attack on Gebbe community in Shanga Local Government Area of Kebbi State, leaving an undisclosed number of people feared dead and several others injured.
Eyewitnesses said the assailants struck suddenly, firing sporadic gunshots that threw the community into panic, forcing residents to flee to neighbouring villages and nearby bushes for safety.
Local sources disclosed that the exact number of casualties could not be immediately ascertained due to the scale of the attack and the displacement of residents. The incident has reportedly left the community, which has not experienced such violence in years, in a state of shock and trauma.
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Confirming the incident, the Kebbi State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Bashir Usman, said police operatives have been deployed to the area to assess the situation.
“The police are currently on ground to determine the number of casualties and injured persons. An official statement will be issued as soon as investigations are concluded,” he said.
Some residents, who spoke on condition of anonymity, confirmed that security agencies have mobilised to restore calm in the area.
Meanwhile, community members have appealed to the Kebbi State Government and security agencies to provide urgent intervention, describing the attack as unprecedented in the history of Gebbe community.
Gunmen Attack Gebbe Community in Kebbi, Many Feared Dead
metro
Three Killed, NSCDC Outpost Burnt in Katsina Youths–Police Clash
Three Killed, NSCDC Outpost Burnt in Katsina Youths–Police Clash
No fewer than three persons were killed and several others injured following violent clashes between youths and security operatives in Katsina metropolis, Katsina State.
The unrest reportedly began late on Friday, December 27, around 10:00 p.m., when police operatives raided suspected criminal hideouts in Sabuwar Unguwa Quarters in an attempt to arrest a suspected drug dealer identified as Uzairu, popularly known as Kuda.
According to the Katsina State Police Command, the suspect resisted arrest and raised an alarm that attracted suspected gang members, who attacked the officers in a bid to free him. During the ensuing struggle, a firearm was discharged, hitting Uzairu. He was rushed to the hospital, where he was later confirmed dead.
Tension escalated the following day during Uzairu’s funeral procession, as youths allegedly clashed again with security personnel at the graveyard. Two persons were reportedly hit by stray bullets during the confrontation.
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Police authorities confirmed that one of the victims died on arrival at the hospital, while the second is currently receiving treatment.
Amid the violence, the youths allegedly set ablaze a Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) outpost and attempted to burn a nearby police outpost before security reinforcements were deployed to the area.
Confirming the incident, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Katsina State Command, DSP Abubakar Aliyu, said the clashes resulted in the death of two civilians, while another injured victim is responding to treatment.
DSP Aliyu explained that during the initial raid, the police team was attacked, an operational vehicle was damaged, and several officers sustained injuries. He added that one policeman was stabbed with a knife while suspects attempted to disarm him.
“During the struggle to secure the rifle, a shot was released, hitting and injuring the suspect, who later died in the hospital,” he said.
He further disclosed that on December 28, suspected miscreants hijacked the funeral procession, attacked security personnel, burned the NSCDC outpost, inflicted a deep machete wound on a policeman, and damaged a police patrol vehicle.
The police spokesperson said calm has been restored following the deployment of additional police and NSCDC personnel to the area.
DSP Aliyu added that the Commissioner of Police has ordered a thorough investigation into the incident and appealed to residents to remain calm and cooperate with security agencies.
Three Killed, NSCDC Outpost Burnt in Katsina Youths–Police Clash
metro
Two Killed, 16 Injured in Fuel Tanker Crash at Polo Roundabout in Jos
Two Killed, 16 Injured in Fuel Tanker Crash at Polo Roundabout in Jos
At least two persons were killed and 16 others injured following a fuel tanker crash in Jos, the Plateau State capital, on Sunday evening.
The accident occurred near the Polo Field Club Roundabout, close to St. Louis College, when a laden fuel tanker reportedly lost its brakes shortly after the Plateau State Specialist Hospital Roundabout and rammed into several vehicles.
Confirming the incident on Monday, the Public Education Officer of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Peter Longsan, said emergency responders swiftly arrived at the scene to prevent further casualties.
According to Longsan, 18 persons were involved in the crash. Two male adults died on the spot, while 16 injured victims were rushed to the Plateau State Specialist Hospital and Bingham University Teaching Hospital (BUTH) for medical treatment. The corpses of the deceased were deposited at BUTH.
He explained that the accident was reported to the FRSC at about 6:49pm on December 28, 2025, prompting immediate rescue operations by the FRSC in collaboration with other security and emergency agencies.
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To avert a possible fire outbreak, the area was cordoned off and traffic diverted, while security agencies prevented looting. Fortunately, Longsan said there was no spillage of petroleum products, significantly reducing the risk of explosion.
Agencies involved in the operation included the FRSC, Nigeria Police, Nigerian Army, Federal Fire Service, NSCDC, Operation Rainbow, Nigerian Red Cross Society, Vehicle Inspection Officers, and the Vigilante Group of Nigeria.
Following the rescue operation, the petroleum product was safely transloaded, damaged vehicles were removed, and the road was fully cleared, restoring traffic flow by Monday morning.
Commending the coordinated response, FRSC Plateau Sector Commander, Olajide E. Mogaji, praised stakeholders and community members for their cooperation and reiterated that road safety is a shared responsibility.
He urged motorists to drive cautiously, especially during the festive season, and advised the public to report emergencies using the FRSC emergency number 122.
Two Killed, 16 Injured in Fuel Tanker Crash at Polo Roundabout in Jos
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