…says social media service providers robbing Nigeria of taxes
LINUS CHIBUIKE
THE Federal Government said on Wednesday that Twitter and other social media service providers had been robbing Nigeria of tax revenue.
Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, said this while speaking with State House Correspondents after the Federal Executive Council meeting, held at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
He also alleged that investigations had revealed that the Founder of Twitter, Jack Dorsey, was one of the funders of the 2020 #EndSARS protest in Nigeria.
He reiterated that the microblogging platform was suspended because it provided a platform for people that were threatening the corporate existence of Nigeria.
He said the Federal Government had directed that all Over-The-Top service providers who might wish to continue operating in Nigeria must be registered as Nigerian companies.
On the rejection of the Twitter ban by the Peoples Democratic Party House of Representatives caucus, Mohammed said the lawmakers were entitled to their opinion.
While noting that Government had not stifled freedom of speech with the Twitter ban, the Minister stressed that Nigerians could still use other platforms such as Facebook and Instagram.
He said Twitter was losing money as a result of the Nigerian government’s action, noting that the ban was effective.