Group Faults Call For Social Media Censorship By Northern Governors

Posted by African Examiner African News, Featured, Latest Headlines, News, News Across Nigeria, News From The State, Uncategorized Wednesday, November 4th, 2020

(AFRICAN EXAMINER) – The International Press Centre (IPC) has faulted the call for social media censorship by Governors of the Northern States of Nigeria.

The IPC is a leading media development and press freedom organization dedicated to building media capacities for democracy and development.

Northern Governors under the aegis of the Nigerian Northern Governors’ Forum had on Monday at a meeting with Northern States Emirs and Chiefs, called for major control mechanism and censorship of the social media practice in Nigeria.

The call for social media censorship was highlighted in Section 5 of the resolution of the meeting which was held in Kaduna. Moreover, the meeting took note of the devastating effect of the uncontrolled social media in spreading fake news.

The northern governors also condemned the #EndSARS protests which they claimed was meant to remove the Nigerian President, Muhammadu Buhari from office.

In addition, the forum equally harped on the need to keep strict watch on the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in order to guide against unwarranted and destructive protests, as well as safeguard critical assets of the country.

Executive Director of IPC, Mr. Lanre Arogundade said that social media censorship will violate the rights guaranteed by the constitution, the right of free expression, the right to privacy, the right to know, adding that it will also violate press freedom.

“It is important to note that, there are existing laws to deal with unwholesome use of the internet, such as the Cyber Crime Act.

“Nigerians already rejected the social media bill before the Senate and it would be unacceptable to return it through the backdoor”, he said.