The Chairman, Senate Committee on Information and National Orientation, Kenneth Eze, has disclosed plans to commence arrest and prosecution of fake news purveyors in a bid to sanitise the media industry in Nigeria.
Eze, the Senator representing Ebonyi Central Zone made this known at his Amagu Onueke hometown in Ezza South Local Government Area of Ebonyi State while interacting with members of National Association of Ezza Ezekuna Media Practitioners.
He regretted negative effects of fake news on the country and advised any journalist whose agency is noy paying his or her salaries adequately to quit the job and the industry, instead of engaging in unethical conducts.
Eze promised to intensify efforts towards Federal Government’s strategic interventions to reposition agencies in the information industry in the country.
He explained that the media plays a vital role in shaping opinion of the people and galvanizing them towards national development.
He solicited the cooperation of various stakeholders in the media industry in Ebonyi State to achieve greater results, stressing that some agencies like the Nigeria Press Council and Advertising Council earlier removed from 2024 budget have been retained following his interventions.
Addresing the media practitioners, Eze said, “It is against ethics of journalism to begin to report false information, fake news against somebody’s character because you were not given money or induced. You are supposed to report verified and credible information and protect the industry.
“It will surprise you that soon, I will start taking most of those people known to be reporting fake news to court and make sure that they are prosecuted to face the consequences. Because if we allow these things to continue, we will be destroying the industry.”
