Nigerian telecoms firms suspend Twitter access

ABUJA (Reuters) -Nigerian telecoms firms blocked access to Twitter on Saturday following a regulatory directive aimed at suspending the U.S. social media giant indefinitely, a move criticised by rights campaigners and diplomats as a gag on free speech.FILE PHOTO: The Twitter logo is displayed on a screen on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York City, U.S., September 28, 2016. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid/File PhotoNigeria’s government said on Friday it had suspended Twitter’s activities indefinitely, two days after the platform removed a tweet by President Muhammadu Buhari that threatened to punish regional secessionists in the West African country.The country’s main telecoms industry body, the Association of Licensed Telecommunication Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), confirmed the suspension.“Based on national interest provisions … our members have acted in compliance with the directives of the Nigerian Communications Commission,” ALTON said.Information Minister Lai Mohammed said on Friday the government had acted because of “the persistent use of the platform for activities that are capable of undermining Nigeria’s corporate existence”.He did not say what form the suspension would take.Twitter, which could not immediately be reached to comment on Saturday, said a day earlier it was investigating its “deeply concerning” suspension by the Nigerian…
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