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Olanrewaju Lawal, Birnin-Kebbi
Federal Government has charged security agencies and stakeholders to critically examine the threat posed by fake news, hate speeches and porous borders to security of the nation.
Permanent Secretary, Special Services Office of the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Dr. Amina M.B Shamaki, stated this during the federal and states security administrators meeting in Birnin-Kebbi, yesterday.
He noted that the emergence of social media have made it easier for mischief-makers to incite the public against themselves and make the nation ungovernable.
“To stem the rising tide of fake news and hate speeches, some countries have emplaced measures and strategies to curtail incidents of fake new, fake videos and disinformation to manipulate publick opinion.
“For instance, Finland, Germany, Malaysia, France, Russia, and recently Singapore have passed legislations against the menace. This might be viewed as an attempt to infringe on citizen’s fundamental human rights.
“However, the issues of national security take precedence over any other consideration since a nation must first be at peace in order to guarantee fundamental human rights. Therefore, there is need to critically examine the menace and evolve effective ways of checkmating it by borrowing a leaf from these country,” she said.
She also posited that the problems of porous borders and human trafficking, should be redressed to stop infiltration of light and weight weapons into the country.
Governor Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, who declared the meeting open, said what Nigeria need to overcome her challenges are spirit of brotherhood, nurturing of society for all and inculcate the ideals of caring for nation’s problem patriotically rather than sentimentally.
Governor Bagudu noted that Rwanda and Ethiopia had gone through serious challenges, but have decided to move on and have become the fastest groaning African nation.
“Let us agreed that this is our reality, we must live based on common understanding. Anger will not contributes to our development. Fake news pose a serious danger to Nigeria. Someone could use it to instigate violence to make us underdeveloped. If we create society that work for all, we shall have more doctors, engineers and less army and crises in our country .”
The governor also reminded security administrators in the meeting that issues between groups should be addressed as national issues.
He stressed that land disputes were still major factors causing crises across the country among various tribes.
