BY FOLASHADE KEHINDE
SOUTH-WEST Governors, on Sunday, threw their weights behind calls for the regulation of the social media.
The Governors, including traditional rulers from the South West and other notable leaders, said they recognised the damaging and negative impact of fake news and were worried about its destructive and dangerous potency.
In a communique issued after a meeting in Lagos, which had in attendance, the Chief of Staff to the President, Ibrahim Gambari, they called on the Federal Government to use the instrumentality of existing laws and those regulations bench-marked from other countries to provide safeguards against the spread of fake news.
They held this position in the wake of the alleged saturation of the social media with unverified news said to have caused havoc during the #EndSARS protest.
The South West leaders said, “We recognise the damaging and negative impact of fake/false news and worry about its destructive and dangerous potency.
“We call on the Federal Government to use the instrumentality of existing laws and those regulations bench-marked from other countries to provide safeguards against the spread of fake news. 2015 Cyber Act will also be fully used.”
“The Federal Government should ensure that technology is used effectively for the advancement of the Nigerian Security and not its destruction by working with the technology cum social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram etc. The regime of checks and gatekeeping should be fully employed,” they added.
Governors Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State, Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State, Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State, Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State, and Gboyega Oyetola of Osun State were present at the meeting.
The Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed; Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu; and South West ministers also joined Gambari at the meeting.
Monarchs in attendance were the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi; Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi; and Alawe of Ilawe Ekiti, Oba Adebanji Alabi, among others.
Recall that northern governors had also called for the regulation of the social media in view of what they described as fake news around the #EndSARS protest, which made the situation more volatile.
