FG orders Facebook to stop IPOB from inciting violence with its platform

The Federal Government has asked Facebook and other social media platforms to stop allowing the Indigenous People of Biafra from using their platforms to allegedly incite violence and instigate ethnic hatred in Nigeria.

The government said that since IPOB had been proscribed and classified as a terrorist organisation, “Facebook has no justification for yielding its platform to the organisation to further its campaign of hate and destabilisation of the country.”

According to a statement by the Special Assistant (Media), to the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, the demand was made in Abuja on Tuesday, 17 May, at a meeting with a team from Facebook.

Speaking at a meeting with a team from Facebook in Abuja on Tuesday, 17 May, Mohammed said people have been killed because of the group’s activities.

“I have called this meeting to enable us to discuss the increasing use of Facebook by separatists and anarchists, especially those of them based outside the country, to instigate violence and ethnic hatred in Nigeria,” he said.

“For whatever reason, they seem to have now chosen Facebook as their platform of choice. And their tools include disinformation, incendiary statements and hate speech.

“They use Facebook broadcasts to reach their followers, who are in thousands. They tag those opposed to their violent ways as ‘saboteurs’ who must be attacked, maimed and killed. They use both English and their local language as it suits them.

“Our social media people have been monitoring these separatists, anarchists and purveyors of hate, and have been reporting their atrocious actions to Facebook, but all they get are default responses that their complaints have been received and are being looked into.

“Most often than not, nothing is done about such complaints. The truth is that whatever Facebook is doing to check these people is mere tokenism and is totally ineffective.”

The minister said he has always advocated for the responsible use of social media.

“Some have tagged our efforts as an attempt to stifle social media,” he said.

“They are wrong because we have no intention of preventing Nigerians from using social media responsibly. All we have been advocating is a responsible use of social media.”