He asserted that relevant Nigerian laws and the broadcasting code would also be amended to ensure that the agreements reached with Twitter apply to other social media platforms.

“Nigeria’s Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed has said Twitter promised to open an office one week after the suspension of its operation in Nigeria was lifted.
 
The minister made this known during a radio programme over the weekend.
 
Mohammed revealed that other social media platforms such as WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram and others would be compelled to open their office in the country and follow the agreements reached with Twitter.
 
He asserted that relevant Nigerian laws and the broadcasting code would also be amended to ensure that the agreements reached with Twitter apply to other social media platforms.
 
The minister stated that the plan to regulate social media is to ensure that only wholesome contents are available on social media and not to stifle the press or violate the right of expression.
 
He said the government has the responsibility to ensure that social media platforms are responsible and the contents they displayed were not harmful to young people as well as the unity of the country.
 
He said: “We are going to regulate the social media not because we want to stifle the media or we want to violate the right of expression.
 
We want to ensure that only wholesome contents are available on social media,” the minister said.

“Recently, we were all shocked when an 18-year old boy accused of killing his 21-year old girlfriend for money rituals confessed that he leant the diabolical act on social media.
 
The teenager, in collaboration with his friends, cut off the head of the victim and were burning it in a pot when they were apprehended.

“The government has the responsibility to ensure that social media platforms are responsible and the contents they displayed were not harmful to young people as well as the unity of the country.

“Twitter also agreed to comply with all payable taxes, as they are operating under Nigerian laws and this they agreed to do within one week of restoring their operations. Twitter agreed to immediately work with the federal government in the area of code of conduct that are in line with global best practices

“Twitter agreed to immediately enrol Nigerians in its law enforcement portals and partners support portal. The law enforcement portal will provide dedicated channels for the Nigerian law enforcement agencies to escalate reports on content that violate the code of conduct or national laws.

“Similarly, the partner support portal provides a direct channel for government to engage Twitter staff to manage prohibited contents.”

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