Mohammed acknowledged that the suspension remains “one of the most difficult decisions I took as a minister,” not least because of the far-reaching impacts the move had on Nigerians who relied on the platform for business, communication and public discourse.
According to his account, the critical conversation with President Muhammadu Buhari unfolded not in anger but in deliberation:
“Sir, we need to suspend the service of Twitter,” Mohammed recalled telling the President. When Buhari asked whether it was because Twitter had deleted his tweet, Mohammed said unequivocally:
“No, sir… and I gave him instances and examples.”
He insisted the move was driven by sustained concerns that the platform was being exploited to destabilise the country, citing repeated warnings about unregulated social media long before the suspension.
Mohammed said that his push for regulation of online platforms dated back years before the ban. He described engaging media houses, policymakers, and civil society on the risks posed by “unregulated social media,” arguing that such platforms could be “a disaster” for national cohesion if left unchecked.
He was careful to frame his stance as not aimed at stifling press freedom, but at curbing what he saw as mis- and disinformation that had tangible real-world consequences.
The official narrative offered by Mohammed challenges the widely held view — both at home and abroad — that the Twitter suspension was infamously triggered by the removal of a tweet by then-President Buhari which authorities felt referenced historical conflict. Independent coverage at the time noted that the tweet was deleted by Twitter for violating its rules, sparking immediate controversy.
The suspension itself drew significant domestic and international criticism, with human rights groups warning of threats to freedom of expression. Investigations by news agencies also highlighted the economic costs borne by businesses reliant on the platform during the ban period.
The ban was ultimately lifted in January 2022 after months of negotiation between the federal government and the platform, with Twitter agreeing to register a legal entity in Nigeria and meet several conditions laid out by authorities.
In his recounting, Mohammed stands by the decision, arguing it was taken out of a sense of duty, not political vindictiveness:
“You won’t be popular as Minister of Information… Some decisions you take not because you like them, but because you must take them in the national interest.”
His book, combining memoir and historical record, attempts not just to justify the Twitter suspension but also to document major media and communications flashpoints — including the #EndSARS protests and other crises — from the viewpoint of someone who said he was “at the centre of policymaking and national communication for eight years.”
