South-West Governors and monarchs have called on the Federal Government to ensure the regulation of social media.
In a communique issued after a meeting of the governors, traditional rulers and a Presidential delegation in Lagos yesterday, the leaders lamented the negative effect of fake news published on social media during the recent #EndSARS protests and the violent aftermath.
The leaders also urged the FG to resolve the deadlock between itself and the Academic Staff Union of Universities to allow students to return to the classroom.
The communique partly read, “We recognise the damaging and negative impact of fake/false news and worry about its destructive and dangerous potency of fake news.
We call on the federal government to use the instrumentality of existing laws and those regulations bench-marked from other countries to provide safeguards against the spread of fake news. 2015 Cyber Act will also be fully used.
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“Federal Government should ensure that technology is used effectively for the advancement of the Nigerian Security and not its destruction by working with the technology cum social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram etc. The regime of checks and gatekeeping should be fully employed.”
Those at the meeting are Governors Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State, Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State, Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State, Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State, and Gboyega Oyetola of Osun State.
The Chief of Staff to the President, Ibrahim Gambari; Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed; the Inspector General of Police, Muhammed Adamu, and ministers from the region also attended the meeting.
Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi; Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi; Alawe of Ilawe Ekiti, Oba Adebanji Alabi, amongst others, were also present at the meeting.
This is coming after the Northern Governors in Nigeria under the alliance of the Nigerian Northern Governors’ Forum, called for the censorship of the social media.
The Governors remarked that social media have “devastating” effects after their meeting on Monday.
The condemned the #EndSARS protests which they claimed was meant to remove the President Muhammadu Buhari from office.
