By Harry Awurumibe, Editor Abuja Bureau
Following the use of the platform of the social media tech, Facebook to propagate hate and to incite violence in Nigeria, Nigerian government may use every legitimate means to stop the trend including suspension of the company’s operation in the country.
Although Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed on Wednesday told State House Correspondents after the weekly Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting at Presidential Villa, Abuja, that no punitive measures are being considered against Facebook.
Rather he posited that federal government and Facebook officials have recently had a very fruitful discussion on the alleged use of Facebook by the proscribed Indigenous Peoples of Biafrans (IPOB).
Said he: “Oh, yes, we did. I had a very fruitful meeting with Facebook yesterday (Tuesday). At that meeting, we expressed our displeasure that Facebook was becoming a power of choice for those who stay outside Nigeria, in particular, to incite violence, killings, burning of government properties, killing of soldiers and policemen”.
“And that they do more than what they are doing now in looking at the contents, which are unwholesome, which are being used on their platforms, incidentally, the BBC did a documentary on this particular issue and found out that some of them who call themselves social media warriors in England, in France and other places, have in recent times, be using the Facebook platform to incite violence in Nigeria”.
“And we’ve all seen the real life impact of those war mongering, the young couple who are going to marry, soldiers who were gruesomely murdered”.
“Over this weekend in Anambra state police men were killed, military barracks were attacked. And we we did warn Facebook to please do more than what they are doing now. And I must say that their response was quite encouraging. They said they’re going to do much more”, Mohammed said.
Asked whether there is any plan to ban Facebook if the inciting violence continues, he said: “I think I gave you an answer. We had a very robust discussion with Facebook. Facebook saw our point and they said they’re going to do much more than what they are doing. So if they do that, why would we ban them?
“We don’t ban for banning sake. We ban or we only suspend operations if for any reason, lives are threatened and they do not listen. But this is of engagement”.
