Elon Musk took control of Twitter and fired its top executives late Thursday in a deal that puts one of the leading platforms for global discourse in the hands of the world’s richest man.

Following the takeover, Musk tweeted that the “the bird is freed,” referencing the company’s iconic avian logo.

He wasted no time sacking chief executive Parag Agrawal, as well as the company’s chief financial officer and its head of safety, the Washington Post and CNBC reported citing unnamed sources.

Agrawal previously went to court to hold the Tesla chief to the terms of a deal he had tried to escape.

The takeover came hours before the court-appointed deadline for Musk to seal his on-again, off-again deal to purchase the social media network.

Musk tweeted earlier in the day that he was buying Twitter “because it is important to the future of civilization to have a common digital town square, where a wide range of beliefs can be debated in a healthy manner.”

Twitter did not immediately reply to a request for comment on the departure of its top executives, but the platform’s co-founder Biz Stone thanked the trio — Agrawal, Ned Segal and Vijaya Gadde — for their “collective contribution to Twitter.”

“Massive talents, all, and beautiful humans each.”

‘Chief Twit’

The closure of the deal marks the culmination of a long and drawn out back-and-forth between the billionaire and the social network.

Musk tried to step back from the Twitter deal soon after his unsolicited offer was accepted in April, and said in July he was canceling the contract because he was misled by Twitter over the number of fake “bot” accounts — allegations rejected by the company.

Twitter, in turn, sought to prove Musk was contriving excuses to walk away simply because he changed his mind.

After Musk sought to terminate the sale, Twitter filed a lawsuit to hold Musk to the agreement.

With a trial looming, the unpredictable billionaire capitulated and revived his takeover plan.

Musk signaled the deal was on track this week by changing his Twitter profile to “Chief Twit” and posting a video of himself walking into the company’s California headquarters carrying a sink.

“Let that sink in!” he quipped.

He even shared a picture of himself socializing at a coffee bar at Twitter headquarters earlier in the day Thursday.

Musk said during a recent Tesla earnings call that he was “excited” about the Twitter deal even though he and investors are “overpaying.”

Twitter free-for-all?

Some employees who would prefer not to work for Musk have already left, said a worker who asked to remain anonymous in order to speak more freely.

“But a portion of people, including me, are willing to give him the benefit of the doubt for now,” the employee said.

The idea of Musk running Twitter has alarmed activists who fear a surge in harassment and misinformation, with Musk himself known for trolling other Twitter users.

But Musk said he realizes Twitter “cannot become a free-for-all hellscape where anything can be said with no consequences.”

Musk has vowed to dial content moderation back to a bare minimum, and is expected to clear the way for former US president Donald Trump to return to the platform.

The then-president was blocked due to concerns he would ignite more violence like the deadly attack on the Capitol in Washington to overturn his election loss.

Far-right users were quick to rejoice on the network, posting comments such as “masks don’t work” and other taunts, under the belief that moderation rules will now be relaxed.

“Free speech will always prevail,” tweeted Republican Senator Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee, prompting replies including “says the party that bans books.”

The leaders of the Middle Belt communities and delegates known as the Southern and Middle Belt Alliance have endorsed the presidential ambition of the Labour Party candidate, Mr Peter Obi of Labour Party ahead of the 2023 general elections.

Other groups that also endorsed the former governor of Anambra State in a communique read by Rev. Aminchu Adamu, at the ‘Middle Belt Save Nigeria Conference’ held in Jos, Plateau State on Saturday, were trade unions, market leaders, students, religious and youth leaders in the middle belt region.

A statement made available to our correspondent by the Peter Obi Support Group on Tuesday, indicated that the leader of the Middle Belt Community Leadership Delegates, Mr Joshua Mape, led the endorsement of Obi.

Mape, who lamented the economic hardship of the people in the region as a result of bad governance and insecurity in the region, said that Obi has what it takes to turn the economic fortunes of the country around just as he did when he was the governor of Anambra state.

He said, “Peter Obi is a wealth creator and we believe, he will transform Nigeria by moving the country from a consumption economy to a productive economy and he will also reduce the cost of governance the way he did while he was the governor of Anambra State.

“Under his watch, Anambra was the least indebted state in the country. He returned all public schools to missionaries with N600m take-off grant, Anambra also has the best road network under his administration.

“We support Peter Obi because we believe in justice and fairness.”

The representative of Youth and Students Alliance, Mr Augustine Danladi, also expressed dissatisfaction on the inadequate funding of the country’s higher institutions of learning and the apparent indifference of the present government to the precarious situation.

Danladi, however, opined that with the emergence of Peter Obi as the president, the higher institutions will be better funded, and the nation’s education sector will be transformed.

“We know what he did when he was the governor of Anambra state. He took the state from number 24 to number one in WAEC results in the country. I am confident that if given the chance, he will do the same thing at the nation’s education sector”, Danladi stated.

Also, the representative of market groups and traders in the Middle Belt also supported the ambition of Peter Obi saying that they are sure of his capacity to industrialise the nation.

On their part, SAMBA, and Peter Obi Support Network under the platform of Political Action groups said that Peter Obi has the character and credibility to make Nigeria work again adding that he is a man who is ready to take Nigeria from a consumption economy to productive economy.

The groups said, “Obi has shown from his track record that he is competent, and he has what it takes to move Nigeria forward. He has the character and credibility; he is a man who is ready to take Nigeria from consumption economy to productive economy.”

Religious group in the middle belt represented by Rev. Aminchi Adamu said they are under perpetual fear to attend at their place of worship because of insecurity in the country.

Adamu further submitted that the groups look forward to vote Peter Obi as President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in February 2023.

Responding, the presidential candidate of Labour Party, appreciated the groups for the confidence reposed in him by their endorsement.

Obi who spoke via a recorded video message said he has been listening to the deliberations despite being in faraway Germany.

He said, “I appreciate your sacrifice, I have been listening to your deliberations, I thank you most sincerely for your trust in me. I assure that I will bring development to Nigeria.

“Next year’s presidential election must not be based on tribe or religion, but on competence and character. I assure that we will build better Nigeria together.”