Attorney-general of the federation Abubakar Malami has come under fire after logging into Twitter via a virtual private network to deactivate his account in solidarity with the Federal Government which had suspended the social media platform last Friday.
Mr Malami, who is also the minister of justice, took to his Facebook page on Tuesday to announce he had deactivated his Twitter account.
He posted a photo and a caption which read, “My Twitter account deactivated”.
Qed.ng observed the photo closely and can confirm that Malami accessed Twitter via VPN.
The minister had last Saturday threatened to prosecute Nigerians who were still using VPNs to access Twitter.
Malami’s post received over 1,100 comments about 40 minutes later with many of his Facebook followers asking him how he accessed Twitter without using VPN.
Akintunde Babatunde wrote, “How were you able to deactivate Twitter without VPN? You should be arrested.”
Shoyombo Adebisi KingDavid wrote, “Can you explain how you did that without first logging in?”
“This is evidence that you logged into Twitter today via VPN to deactivate your account which is punishable under your unlawful law. Let us see how you will prosecute others without throwing yourself in jail,” Roy Ekwueme wrote.
Another Facebook user, Kazeem Badaru, asked the AGF if Nigerians should throw a party because he had deactivated his Twitter account.
Onyia Cee Jay wrote, “How did you get on Twitter to deactivate after the ban? You too, will be prosecuted for flouting your own BAN.”
“And so what, Do you think you have enough Goodwill for Nigerians to follow you and do same? The Answer is Capital No,” wrote Chiemeka Akwarandu.
Osamagbe Motilade Enabunlele wrote, “So you also used VPN to login to deactivate your account, what’s that your cell number again in Kuje Prison???”
The Federal Government suspended Twitter in Nigeria last Friday after the social media platform deleted a post by President Muhammadu Buhari which made reference to the Nigerian Civil War of 1967/70.
