The suspension of
Twitter in Nigeria comes two days after the forum removed a tweet from
President Muhammadu Buhari for violating the rules.
A day after the Nigerian government permanently suspended Twitter, local phone operators blocked the social networking site. The suspension came at the so-called "jobs that can undermine the performance of Nigerian business".
The move has been criticized by international human rights organizations.
"The federal government has suspended, indefinitely, the operation of a small chemical communication and communication service, Twitter, in Nigeria," Department of Information and Culture spokesman Segun Adeyemi said in a statement on Friday.
The Association of Licensed Telecoms Operators of Nigeria (ALTON) has confirmed that its members have received official instructions from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), the industry regulator, to stop accessing Twitter.
The association in a statement said the application had been strictly reviewed and members had "complied with it".
"Network data shows that access to the Twitter platform and backend server is now restricted to leading networks of MTN, Globacom, Airtel and 9mobile," London-based internet manager Netblocks wrote on its website on Saturday.
'Oppressive Action'
Amnesty International on Friday condemned the proposal. He urged Nigeria to "immediately change its illegal suspension".
"This act of oppression is a clear attempt to end dissent by closing down public space," said Human Rights Watch researcher Anietie Ewang.
Twitter said the act was "deeply disturbing".
"We are investigating and will provide updates as soon as we know more," the company said in a statement.
Nigeria in 2019 announced that it would tighten regulations on social media to combat non-disinformation issues, creating concerns about freedom of expression.
Twitter on Wednesday withdrew its comments from the president's account after talking about the country's civil war in a warning of the recent unrest in the southeast.
The 78-year-old former president-general has referred to "misbehavior" in the recent violence in the southeastern state, where officials have blamed separatists for attacks on police and election offices.
"Those of us who have been in the fields for 30 months, who have passed through the war, we will treat them in a language they understand," the President said on Twitter.
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