(ANSA) - ROME, JUN 14 - Twitter founder Jack Dorsey tweeted three Nigerian flags today, without adding comments. Local media interpreted the message as support for the protests that took place Saturday in Nigeria against the bad government and the suspension of the social platform.
Dorsey's tweet sparked comments from Nigerians who use virtual private networks to access Twitter, having been entertaining the Nigerian government after its ban last June 4. The ban on Twitter followed the cancellation of a tweet by Nigerian head of state Mohammadu Buhari, although the presidency denied a link between the two facts.
Dorsey had already drawn hostility from authorities in the past when he appeared to be a supporter of last year's protests against police brutality that became known internationally with the hashtag #EndSARS. On Saturday, Nigerians took to the streets to demonstrate against bad governance, lack of democracy and a ban on Twitter.
Police fired tear gas at the protesters, and many of them were arrested, according to local media.
In his speech on Saturday, on the occasion of the Democracy Day in the country, President Buhari admitted that he had failed to end the insecurity in Nigeria, as instead promised at his election in 2015. (ANSA).