FG to inaugurate committee on fake news, hate speech

Federal Government says it will on March 2, inaugurate a stakeholder committee on how to tackle the menace of fake news and hate speech.

Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed who disclosed this at a media briefing on Thursday said “we are also planning a major international conference that will bring together the tech companies, media practitioners, policymakers and others as part of efforts to tackle this growing canker-worm

“Last week, I met with representatives of Google and Facebook for the same purpose.
“The situation is dire, and no nation that values its peace, security, and stability will allow an irresponsible use of social media.”

He insisted the government “will continue to appeal to Nigerians to be circumspect in believing or circulating these fake news, as we did when we launched our national campaign against fake news in 2018.

“We are also pushing ahead with our plan to sanitize social media, working with stakeholders.”

Mohammed also asked Amnesty International not cast itself in the league of Boko Haram and ISWAP terrorists.

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“They should stop the growing practice of constantly attacking the military and casting them as the bad guys when all they are doing is putting their lives on the line to fight terrorists who have no respect for the sanctity of life, who willfully go after women and children, who attack houses of worship without respect or allegiance to any religion. Amnesty International should stop providing succor for terrorists by attributing their atrocities to our troops.

“Our soldiers, who are defending the country, are guided by extant rules of engagement and operational codes of conduct.

“They should not be made to look like the aggressors here.

“I am aware that the Federal Government has always taken seriously any allegation of rights violation by soldiers or other security forces.
“Investigations have been carried out and culprits, if any, punished as it is a continuous process.”