President Muhammadu Buhari has directed the Ministries of Information and Culture, Police Affairs, and Communications and Digital Economy to curtail the spread of false and inflammatory information through social media.
The President gave this directive while reacting to the killing of a lady in Sokoto over an allegation of blasphemy.
According to today’s directive, the ministries are to work with telecommunication operators and tech companies to achieve this.
A statement issued by the Presidency reads, “President Muhammadu Buhari strongly condemns the resort to self-help by the mob in Sokoto, resulting in violence, destruction, and killing of a second-year student of Shehu Shagari College of Education, Sokoto, Deborah Samuel following an allegation that she had blasphemed Muhammad (SAW), the Prophet of Islam on Thursday.
- “President Buhari said the news of the killing of the young lady by fellow students was a matter of concern and demanded an impartial, extensive probe into all that happened before and during the incident.
- “The President noted that Muslims all over the world demand respect for the Holy Prophets, including Aisha (Alaihissalaam, Jesus Christ) & Muhammad (SAW) but where transgressions occur, as alleged to be the case in this instance, the law does not allow anyone take matters into their hands.”
- The statement quoted President Buhari as saying that: “No person has the right to take the law in his or her own hands in this country. Violence has and never will solve any problem.
- “President Buhari also directed the Ministries of Information and Culture, Police Affairs, and that of Communications and Digital Economy to work with GSM providers and Tech companies to help contain the spread of false and inflammatory information through social media.
- “The President extended the nation’s condolences to the family of the deceased student and wished all those injured a quick recovery. He commended the immediate response to the incident by the Sokoto State Government and urged religious and community leaders to call citizens’ attention to the need to exercise the right to freedom of speech responsibly.
- “President Buhari called for tempered comments by the media and calm among the general population while investigation is ongoing to find out the remote and immediate causes of the incident,” the statement added.
It would be recalled that a few days ago, Deborah Samuel, a level-two student, of the Shehu Shagari College of Education, Sokoto State was accused of making a social media post that allegedly blasphemed the holy prophet Muhammad (SAW). The young female student was killed and burnt in by irate youths.
