{"id":568423,"date":"2021-06-19T05:07:05","date_gmt":"2021-06-19T09:07:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=568423"},"modified":"2021-06-19T05:07:08","modified_gmt":"2021-06-19T09:07:08","slug":"nigerias-war-on-twitter-prompts-national-security-concerns","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/nigerias-war-on-twitter-prompts-national-security-concerns\/","title":{"rendered":"Nigeria\u2019s War on Twitter Prompts National Security Concerns"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">16<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fnigerias-war-on-twitter-prompts-national-security-concerns%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=568423&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><div readability=\"28.401606425703\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"article-category\"><a class href=\"https:\/\/freebeacon.com\/national-security\/\">National Security<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"article-excerpt\">Weak support for Nigerian government could open doors for extremist groups<\/p>\n<figure class=\"post-thumbnail-container relative lg:mr-24 w-full my-4 mb-8\">\n\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"736\" height=\"514\" src=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/rsz_gettyimages-1200309220-1.jpg\" class=\"w-full lazyload blur-up wp-post-image\" alt srcset=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 736px) 100vw, 736px\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/rsz_gettyimages-1200309220.jpg 736w, https:\/\/freebeacon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/rsz_gettyimages-1200309220-300x210.jpg 300w, https:\/\/freebeacon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/rsz_gettyimages-1200309220-703x491.jpg 703w\" data-sizes=\"auto\"  style=\"display:none\"><figcaption class=\"absolute text-white p-4 w-full text-right text-xs bottom-0 bg-black opacity-75\">\n\t\t\t\tNigerian president Muhammadu Buhari \/ Getty Images\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>\t\t\t<span class=\"text-gray text-xs md:text-lg\"><a href=\"https:\/\/freebeacon.com\/author\/jacob-adams\/\" title=\"Posts by Jacob Adams\" class=\"author url fn text-red-700\" rel=\"author\">Jacob Adams<\/a> \u2022 June 19, 2021 4:58 am<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n<div readability=\"106.4497428705\">\n<p>The Nigerian government&#8217;s crackdown on Twitter is prompting concerns from national security experts who say it signals insecurity in an African country that could give a foothold to Islamic extremist groups and other foreign influencers.<\/p>\n<p>Nigeria suspended Twitter&#8217;s operations in its borders on June 4 after the social media giant <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2021\/06\/05\/world\/africa\/nigeria-twitter-president.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">deleted one<\/a> of President Muhammadu Buhari&#8217;s\u00a0tweets. Twitter said\u00a0Buhari&#8217;s tweet constituted abusive behavior toward the Igbo ethnic group.<\/p>\n<p>Noel Twagiramungu, the director of the Leadership &#038; Governance Policy Lab at the Africa Center for Strategic Progress, noted that the Nigerian government&#8217;s heavy-handed response reflects Buhari&#8217;s waning support in the country, following a series of protests. The power vacuum could bolster extremist groups, which have already begun providing social services in more rural areas.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;[Extremist groups] were really addressing fundamental problems, and so very ironic, in some parts of Nigeria and Cameroon. They were actively delivering services to populations, wherever the government was unable,&#8221; Twagiramungu said.<\/p>\n<p>The news of Twitter&#8217;s ban has already drawn a rebuke from the Biden administration. A State Department spokeswoman said officials are monitoring the situation.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;We are also gravely concerned by the Nigerian government&#8217;s June 5 directive to federal prosecutors to arrest and prosecute anyone using Twitter. Banning or significantly restricting social media, including under threat of prosecution, undermines Nigerians&#8217; human rights and fundamental freedoms,&#8221; the agency said in an email. &#8220;Societies are strengthened by expressions of opinion and dissent, including through the Internet. Freedom of expression plays an important role in ensuring more tolerant and inclusive societies.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Nigeria&#8217;s embassy in the United States did not respond to requests for comment. Nigerian information and culture minister Lai Mohammed <a href=\"https:\/\/www.msn.com\/en-us\/news\/world\/nigeria-says-twitter-must-register-locally-for-ban-to-end\/ar-AAKSf40?ocid=uxbndlbing\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">told<\/a> AFP news agency that the ban will end only when Twitter is &#8220;licensed by the broadcasting commission&#8221; and agrees &#8220;not to allow its platform to be used by those who are promoting activities that are inimical to the corporate existence of Nigeria.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>A Twitter spokesman declined to comment on the ongoing blackout, instead pointing to a company statement condemning the Nigerian government for denying its citizens &#8220;an essential human right.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;We are deeply concerned by the blocking of Twitter in Nigeria,&#8221; the statement said. &#8220;We will work to restore access for all those in Nigeria who rely on Twitter to communicate and connect with the world.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>The ban on Twitter comes at a time of unrest in the country.\u00a0Demonstrators in October <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wsj.com\/articles\/nigeria-protests-whats-happening-and-why-are-people-demonstrating-11603277989\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">took to the streets<\/a>\u00a0in protest of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, which was created to combat violent crime but has <a href=\"https:\/\/tribuneonlineng.com\/for-fourth-time-in-4-years-igps-ban-sars\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">been accused<\/a> of crimes of its own. Buhari, who served as de facto <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cfr.org\/blog\/buharis-dictatorial-past-and-rule-law-today-nigeria\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">dictator<\/a> of the nation from 1983 to 1985, was elected president in a 2019 election that had numerous\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.hrw.org\/news\/2007\/04\/25\/nigeria-presidential-election-marred-fraud-violence\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">voting irregularities<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Michael Rubin, an American Enterprise Institute scholar, said there are already warning signs about Nigeria&#8217;s vulnerability to extremist groups and other independent threats. The nation&#8217;s shores have already become a &#8220;locus of piracy in the world&#8221; after shifting from Somalia in the past decade. The country&#8217;s targeting of Twitter demonstrates weakness.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Whenever a government tries to cut off communications. That&#8217;s a sign that they don&#8217;t have self-confidence in their own stability and security,&#8221; Rubin said.<\/p>\n<p>Extremism and piracy are not the only concerns in the region. China\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.voanews.com\/africa\/china-invests-16-billion-nigerias-oil-sector#:~:text=7%2C%202019.,Nigeria's%20state%2Drun%20oil%20company.&#038;text=Chinese%20investments%20in%20the%20sector,Nigeria%20needs%20partners%20like%20China.\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">invests heavily<\/a> in the country, pumping $16 billion into the oil and gas industry. Twagiramungu expressed concern about the economic influence of China and the other foreign powers in the country. Nigeria is a major regional player in Africa: It has the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.worldometers.info\/world-population\/population-by-country\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">largest population<\/a> on the continent and is the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.statista.com\/statistics\/1178514\/main-oil-producing-countries-in-africa\/#:~:text=Nigeria%20was%20the%20leading%20oil,64.3%20million%20metric%20tons%2C%20respectively.\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">leading producer<\/a> of oil in the area. The country&#8217;s population is also <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pewresearch.org\/fact-tank\/2020\/04\/22\/populations-skew-older-in-some-of-the-countries-hit-hard-by-covid-19\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">one of the youngest<\/a> in the world, leading some experts to predict that its influence on the world stage will grow as its workforce matures. Meanwhile, industrialized nations in Europe and Asia face <a href=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/2018\/12\/07\/674548447\/facing-critical-labor-shortage-japan-opens-door-wider-to-foreign-workers\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">labor shortages<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC7473975\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">rising health care costs<\/a> from aging populations.<\/p>\n<p>The White House did not respond to a request for comment.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>National Security Weak support for Nigerian government could open doors for extremist groups  Nigerian president Muhammadu Buhari \/ Getty Images  Jacob Adams \u2022 June &#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":2280754,"comment_status":"close","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/rsz_gettyimages-1200309220-1.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"Nigeria\u2019s War on Twitter Prompts National Security Concerns","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-568423","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/rsz_gettyimages-1200309220-1.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"Nigeria\u2019s War on Twitter Prompts National Security Concerns","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/568423","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/7"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=568423"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/568423\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2280754"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=568423"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=568423"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=568423"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}