Northern governors, leaders call for censorship of social media

Yusuf Bello| Northern state governors on Monday called for the regulation of social media to “avoid the spread of fake news” in the country.

At a meeting in Kaduna, attended by traditional rulers, ministers and leaders of the national assembly, the governors described as devastating, the effect of uncontrolled social media.

In a statement at the end of the Northern States Governors Forum meeting held on Monday in Kaduna, the governors also condemned the “subversive” actions of some #EndSARS protesters, adding that some people took advantage of peaceful protest to push their “separative agenda”.

The statement read, “In furtherance to its resolution to further engage with the critical stakeholders of the North, the Northern States Governors Forum held a meeting today Monday 2nd November, 2020 at the Council Chamber, Sir Kashim Ibrahim House, Kaduna.

“After extensive deliberations the following resolutions were arrived at: appreciates the roles of Traditional rulers in containing the menace of Endsars protests in the north. Collectively agreed that traditional rulers be given formal roles in the governance architecture of the Country.

“The meeting rejects and condemns the subversive actions of the Endsars protest. The superlative agitations and other change regime actions outside the ballot Box soon take advantage of the peaceful protests to push for their seperative agenda. The meeting endorse the indivisibility, indissolubility and oneness of the Nation.

“The meeting took note of the devastating effect of the uncontrolled social media in spreading fake news. Therefore, calls for major control mechanism and censorship of the social media practice in Nigeria.”

The governors also asked security agencies to keep “strict watch” on the federal capital territory (FCT) to guide against “unwarranted and destructive protests” and to safeguard critical assets of the nation.