Ban: Don’t Log Into Twitter Via VPNs, APC Warns Nigerians

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has urged Nigerians against accessing microblogging site, Twitter, via Virtual Private Networks (VPNs), warning that they risk “exposing their devices to vulnerabilities”.

The APC gave the warning in a statement issued by Senator John James Akpanudoedehe, Secretary of its Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee, on Tuesday.

The Federal Government announced the suspension of Twitter on Friday, two days after the microblogging site deleted a tweet of President Muhammadu Buhari after it was deemed to have “violated the Twitter rules”.

According to a statement by Lai Mohammed, Minister of Information and Culture on Friday, the ban was placed on Twitter due to the “persistent use” of the platform in purportedly encouraging activities that “undermines Nigeria’s corporate existence”.

However, many Nigerians are still using Twitter via VPN and other applications which protects their location and allow them to change it at will.

Reacting to the development, the ruling party raised the alarm that legitimate private and public entities operating in the country could be susceptible to activities of criminal hackers who can steal personal data and money in bank accounts.

The party stated that VPNs are not adequately secured and implored Nigerians not to utilise it to access Twitter, which it claimed was “detrimental to peace and public order in the country.”

The statement read: “This advisory is necessary because, despite the massive compliance by Nigerians to the federal government’s suspension of Twitter operations in the country, some individuals in the country have resorted to VPN to assess Twitter whose unwholesome activities were detrimental to peace and public order in the country.

“Those using the VPN are advised to desist in their own interests because of its risks, which include data theft, illegal access to strategic company documents and possible economic espionage.

“The APC emphasises that VPN users expose their devices to vulnerabilities because the network allows third parties access to personal data and changes user location to another country which compromises data integrity.

“Your record can be traced to another country that is not yours, with all the risks that entail.

“Many individuals and organisations using VPN have lost their investments after compromising the security of their devices.

“The APC strongly advises that Nigerians should avoid installing or using VPN to access social networking sites in order to protect their privacy and security online.

“This is in our individual and collective interest.”