Muhammdu Buhari’s failed government is sinking lower into the abyss by a misguided war on social media.

Amidst the murderous scourge of Unknown Gunmen, Bandits, Killer Fulani Herdsmen and Boko Haram amongst others, how is Twitter the President’s primary preoccupation at this moment?

The Federal Government has directed that the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) begin licensing social media apps such as WhatsApp, Instagram and Facebook.

After just one deleted tweet, the FGN has abolished open-browsing. Now all social media platforms are to be “ranched” by registration at NBC.

However thousands of massacred Nigerians is not sufficient to ban open grazing, license cattle-rearers and regulate their Ak-47s.

Nigeria is the only democratic country to join the ranks of authoritarian nations like China and North Korea who have censored social media.

That the regime plans to prosecute Nigeria’s over 30 million twitter users should they continue usage is not only the height of absurdity and insipidity but proof positive that the Buhari regime exists for the benefit of cows and not of citizens. It lends credence to reports that the government could actually be considering suspending constitutional human rights in a state of emergency.

Twitter is one of the expressive outlets for brilliant young Nigerians and a veritable portal to the global village. Depriving Nigerian youth of this after stealing and destroying their future is the height of insensitive misgovernance. Buhari has cemented his place in the garbage dump of history as a human, National and international tragedy and misery.

It is shameful that the spy equipment purchased by the Nigerian government purportedly to fight terrorism is now being utilized on innocent citizens. What a calamitous regime!

Finally, as notable Nigerian Canadian Historian Josephine Akioyamen rightly contextualized it, “People keep saying Trump didn’t suspend Twitter in the US as Buhari just did, even when he was kicked off the medium. He just couldn’t. He didn’t have the power to do so. In Nigeria everything goes. We have an imperious President who has unlimited power and therefore thinks he can circumvent the laws to get his wishes. The United States President is not the same to a degree. He is bound by conventions, ethics, institutional strictures and most significantly, the laws. Trump tried to shatter them all by testing their limits.

“In Nigeria, the president can, so hold a Judge of the Federal High Court, with a stroke of the pen sign an executive order as a self standing law not tied to the execution, administration or the implementation of any law passed by the National Assembly. He is a law making institution independent of the NASS. The US president doesn’t have that kind of power. His executive orders are delegated legislations e.g. regulations, tied to the administration, execution or implementation of laws passed by Congress. Executive orders are not new laws in the US, the way they are in Nigeria. It won’t be surprising, if Buhari tomorrow by means of Executive Orders pass new laws all by himself banning Facebook and Twitter legally or to empower NBC to grant them licenses. Just watch.

“Temperamentally, Trump and Buhari are no different. If Trump have had his way he would have banned Twitter, Facebook, and the like. He threatened to get S.230, which gives them immunity from libel, repealed. He tried to ban Tiktok from the USA because they pricked his ego by disrupting his Tulsa rally. He just didn’t have the power and as such couldn’t do it. He didn’t refrain from doing it out of the magnanimity of his heart. The law stopped him. Trump was a bad influence on the world. He was liked by tinpot dictators. Trump left a stink in this world and others like Buhari learned from him. They test the limits of their powers like him. He wasn’t great for democracy at all.” — Josephine Akioyamen

In conclusion, it is noteworthy that Trump’s Facebook suspension extension and Buhari’s suspension occurred simultaneously. What a humiliating historical confluence of sanctions for two inglorious misrulers!

As our parody below illustrates, Buhari’s government has become a sick joke and a laughingstock:

“MOTHER OF ALL TWITTER WARFARE

FGN v TWITTER

Round 1 - Twitter deleted Buhari’s Genocidal threat tweet.

Round 2 - Buhari technically bans Twitter from Nigeria by announcing on Twitter (Twitter still operational in Nigeria though)

Round 3 - Twitter deletes Buhari’s post announcing Twitter ban

Round 4 - Facebook deletes Buhari’s Genocide threat post

Round 5 - Twitter Suspends Buhari’s account

Round 6 - (awaiting Buhari’s declaration of Twitter as Terrorist organization, declaring Zuckerburg wanted and deployment of operation Baboon Don craze)

Technical knockout - Facebook suspends Buhari’s account ( Buhari may form own Air Nigeria Farcebook. Logo loading)

FINAL RESULT

Twitter still operational in Nigeria. Buhari no longer operational on Twitter.

Buhari wins again. Technically.

•Emmanuel Ogebe is managing partner of US Nigeria Law Group, Washington.

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