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Twitter went too far insulting Buhari, Nigerians: Nollywood actor Yemi Solade

Nollywood star actor Yemi Solade has slammed Twitter as a disruptive element, accusing the microblogging platform of insulting President Muhammadu Buhari and Nigerians.

• June 8, 2021

Nollywood star actor Yemi Solade has slammed Twitter as a disruptive element, accusing the microblogging platform of insulting President Muhammadu Buhari and Nigerians.

In a recent interview with Goldmynetv, the movie star stated, “I think Twitter went too far by insulting the President of Nigeria and by extension insulting all of us.

“When a platform is used to foment trouble, projects anarchy, there should be rules regulating such practices.”

Mr Solade added, “Twitter wasn’t really helping the country.”

Twitter removed Mr Buhari’s ‘genocidal’ tweet against recalcitrant Igbo youths, saying it violated their policies, following outrage by Nigerians who described his statement as “unpresidential.”

Subsequently, the Buhari regime, through its information minister Lai Mohammed announced the indefinite suspension of Twitter in Nigeria on the ground that it was used to spread false information and “activities that are capable of undermining Nigeria’s corporate existence.”

Many have faulted the suspension, insisting it violated Nigerians’ rights to freedom of speech and described it as economic albatross.

Minority Leader Ndudi Elumelu on Saturday said, “Our caucus rejects this thoughtless decision of the federal government.”

It noted that suspending Twitter “amounts to a clampdown and a direct infringement on the rights of Nigerians to free speech as guaranteed by the 1999 Constitution (as amended).”

Similarly, Nigerian human rights lawyer, Mike Ozekhome in a statement on Sunday, said using Twitter is not a “known crime or written offence.” He argued that the National Assembly had not enacted any law banning the use of social media, including Twitter.

“This government must be ready to build thousands of prisons across all the nooks and crannies of Nigeria so as to accommodate the deluge of ‘erring’ Nigerians,” Mr Ozekhome added.

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