Former Information Alhaji Lai Mohammed has disclosed that the controversial 2021 suspension of the social media platform Twitter, now X, was among the most challenging policy decisions he oversaw during his eight-year tenure.
Speaking in an interview to promote his forthcoming book, ‘Headlines and Soundbites: Media Moments That Defined an Administration,’ Mohammed defended the widely criticised action, asserting that it was guided by paramount national interest rather than political convenience.
“For instance, one of the most difficult decisions I took was suspending Twitter’s operations in Nigeria,” the former minister stated.
Mohammed justified the ban by claiming the platform had been co-opted for hostile purposes against the state. “I had to make the decision in the national interest, because at that time Twitter had become the platform of choice for those destabilizing the country. Decisions like that are not about popularity; they are about facts,” he added.
The former Minister also recounted reassuring former President Muhammadu Buhari that the decision was not a retaliatory measure for Twitter deleting a presidential tweet, which preceded the ban.
“I told President Buhari that we needed to suspend Twitter. He asked if it was because his tweet was deleted. I said no. Twitter had become the platform of choice for elements trying to destabilise Nigeria,” Mohammed claimed.
He insisted that the communication strategy of the Buhari administration was focused on national preservation, rejecting suggestions that his efforts were aimed at narrative control or stifling dissent.
“We never set out to preserve the government. We set out to preserve Nigeria,” he stressed.
Mohammed’s book, scheduled for launch on December 17, is intended to correct perceived “misinformation” about the administration and “inspire future leaders.”
