TWEETING THE ONE CHANCE UPRISING IN NIGERIA: INVESTIGATING DISCOURSE ACTS IN THE SOCIAL MEDIA

Abstract

The transformation brought about by social media in engaging with national issues has garnered significant attention from social scientists. This paper explores the discourse acts in tweets and online comments concerning "One Chance," a form of robbery targeting commuters in public and private vehicles. Utilising Speech Act theory and a qualitative textual approach, it examines the actions, narratives, and language that shape and mobilise public perception through these tweets. The findings indicate that X users and commenters primarily emphasize providing eyewitness accounts, warning potential victims, and reporting incidents. These contributions were categorized into three types of speech acts: locutionary acts, illocutionary acts, and perlocutionary acts. The study concludes that X serves as a vital platform for discussion, where safety concerns, civic engagement, and policy demands converge.