Former Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, has defended the Federal Government’s 2021 suspension of X (formerly Twitter), saying the move was taken in the interest of national security and should not be interpreted as censorship.
Speaking on Thursday in Abuja at the launch of the International Media and Information Literacy Institute (IMILI), Mohammed said the decision remains one of the most difficult he made while in office, but was necessary given the rising threats of misinformation and instability.
He argued that his stance on regulating social media had often been misunderstood, stressing that regulation is essential in the digital age.
The suspension, imposed in June 2021 under former President Muhammadu Buhari, followed escalating tensions linked to the #EndSARS protests and concerns over the platform’s role in amplifying unrest and misinformation.
Mohammed recalled that the immediate trigger was Twitter’s removal of a post by the then president, after which the Federal Government announced an indefinite ban, citing national security concerns, misinformation, and threats to Nigeria’s stability.
The decision drew widespread criticism locally and internationally, with civil society groups and foreign governments describing it as a setback for freedom of expression.
Despite the backlash, Mohammed maintained that national security had to take precedence over private or commercial interests.
He also warned that the spread of fake news has become more dangerous in the digital era, noting that misinformation can rapidly shape public perception and escalate crises beyond control.
According to him, the #EndSARS protests demonstrated how social media narratives could intensify real-world consequences, including violence, destruction of property, and loss of lives.
The event also marked the official launch of IMILI, a UNESCO Category 2 Institute designed to strengthen media and information literacy globally.
Mohammed said the initiative, which began during his tenure in 2017, aims to equip citizens with the skills to critically assess and responsibly share information in the digital space.
