The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, has blamed the violence that characterised the hijacking of EndSARS protest in the country by hoodlums on the use of the social media to spread fake news.
The minister made the remark on Tuesday while stressing that something urgent had to be done to stop the abuse of social media.
Mohammed, at a press conference, in Lagos, said apart from stoking the fire of violence, the spread of fake news through the social media misled the CNN and some members of the public within and outside the country on happenings.
Said he: “We have no scintilla of doubt that the violence that resulted from the hijack of the EndSARS protest was catalyzed by fake news and disinformation, which spread like wildfire on social media. And this did not come to us as a surprise, considering the fact that since 2017, we have been raising the alarm about the dangers of social media abuse. Remember, gentlemen, that in 2017, we dedicated that year’s National Council on Information to the issue of fake news, hate speech and disinformation. The following year, in 2018, we launched the national campaign against fake news and disinformation, partnering with a number of print and electronic media organisations.
“Gentlemen, social media was used to guide arsonists and looters to certain properties, both public and private, during the EndSARS violence. Pictures of celebrities and even non-Nigerians who were supposedly killed at Lekki Toll Gate quickly made the rounds on social media, only for those celebrities to say they are alive, and for discerning Nigerians to disprove many of those listed as killed at Lekki Toll Gate.”
Talking about the need to check the abuse of social media, the minister said the government was not interested in preventing freedom of speech.
He explained that checking the abuse of social media was not synonymous with stifling press freedom or free speech.
“Fake news and disinformation are not the same as free speech. For the umpteenth time, I want to say that this government has no plan to stifle free speech, neither do we have any intention of shutting down the internet as some have claimed. Social media has come to stay, and those who use it responsibly have nothing to fear. But those who abuse it are right to be worried,” he said.
The minister added: “Still talking about fake news and disinformation, the recent EndSARS protest and the aftermath present a rare opportunity to see how these twin evils could aggravate issues. For example, the knee-jerk reactions of some countries were informed by fake news and disinformation, and varying figures of those purportedly killed in the hoax massacre at the Lekki Toll Gate are being bandied around. For example, Parliamentarians in Britain put the figure of those killed at 10, CNN first reported 38 and then lowered the number to 1. And DJ Switch’s numbers cascaded from 78 dead to 15 to 7!
“In particular, it is most disheartening that Parliamentarians in a country with a history of upholding the finest ideals of democracy will act in such an uninformed manner on an issue such as EndSARS. The quality of the debate at the British Parliament on EndSARS was under par. Fake accusations based on fake news and disinformation were levelled against the Federal Government by poorly-informed participants at the debate. One MP even accused former Nigerian leader, Gen. Yakubu Gowon (rtd), who served this country to the best of his ability, of stealing half of the Central Bank of Nigeria. Sheer ignorance! The flippant MP, who unfortunately chairs the Foreign Affairs Committee of the British House of Commons, did a great disservice to himself, the Committee he chairs and the entire Parliament by allowing himself to be misled by fake news exponents. Fittingly, the British Government has distanced itself from him.
“Even an international broadcaster like CNN was misled by fake news and disinformation. But CNN has itself to blame for relying on unauthenticated videos, which it took from social media. Now, CNN is seeking to save face by trying to clarify its report, which was not only inaccurate but failed the simple test of balance and fairness.”
