FG Orders Authorities To Arrest Social Media Abusers

Agency ReporterNovember 1, 2018

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Nigeria Government frowns against social media abuse as it inclines, asking the law enforcement authorities to arrest anyone found guilty of such misconduct

While there’s been numerous campaign against cyber-bully and other social media hate activities, Nigeria Government has summoned enough courage to kick against such activities across the country.

The Presidency has called for strict enforcement of the law by security agents to curb abuse of social media. Mrs. Lauretta Onochie, personal assistant to President on Social Media urged law enforcement agents to do their job, saying that they were failing in the discharge of job in apprehending people who use hate messages to divide the country.

This was informed during an event at Abuja on Tuesday, where she informed that the reason why the inhuman act has eaten deeply into the society is that, law kicking against such act of misconduct has never been enforced by necessary enforcement authorities.

She added that the country had the necessary laws to guide what was being published and spoken online, however, such law was not enforced as it was probably disregarded over the time. “Our laws are not being enforced; we must plead with the law enforcement agencies to look into this to help the president and the nation to stay together,’’ she said.

While she speaks on during the event, she emphasizes that hate speech is capable of disintegrating the country, adding that if this happened, everybody would be a victim because the people would not have anywhere run to for succor, however, in a country where a singular act of misinformation is quite endangering, social media users must be very careful of what to put across the net, as it usually spread like a wildfire. Onochie also confirmed that social media has taken moral from many young youths who ordinarily will not to ask questions or raise their voices, given then voices as oppose cultural norms.

“Many of our youths are raised by mothers and fathers who rebuke them when they ask a question…Now that they are on social media, they can air their opinions, but I must counsel them that whatsoever they say today they should make sure it is the truth.” she told “If you are lying in order to bring bloodshed on our nation, the blood would be on you and your generation,’’ she added while she spoke on.

The SA noted that Nigerians should ensure that they must at all times ensure that whatever they said on social media must be the truth. Onochie advised them to always consult Google to be sure of their posts online if they found something that was not the truth. “If they are not the truth, it should not be shared, sharing it means you are breaking the law,’’ she said.