Northern leaders back control of social media

• Allege #EndSARS protest was hijacked to topple Buhari administration

Northern leaders made up of influential people such as state governors, Senate President, Ahmed Lawan, top traditional rulers and senior political officers, among others rose from a crucial meeting Monday on the state of the nation with a resolution backing the plan by the Federal Government to censor the social media use.

The Ministers of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, has been championing the campaign for the control of the social media by the Federal Government, insisting that its platforms are being used to spread fake news and subversive information.

His counterpart at the Ministry of Youth and Sports, Sunday Dare, also said on Monday that the FG contemplated shutting down the social media space during the recent nationwide EndSARS protest, saying the protest brought home the dangers of fake news.

The northern leaders, who also reaffirmed their commitment to the indivisibility, indissolubility and oneness of Nigeria, alleged that those pushing for superlative agitations and other change-regime actions outside the ballot box hijacked the peaceful #EndSARS protests to further their separatist agenda.

Members of the Northern States Traditional Rulers Council led by the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III, attended the meeting.

Their meeting presided over by the northern governors forum’s Chairman and Plateau State Governor, Mr Simon Lalong, was attended by governors of Kaduna, Kebbi, Kwara and Zamfara States.

The governors of Kogi and Kano states were represented by their deputies.

The leaders, in a communiqué issued after the meeting, decried “the devastating effect of the social media in spreading fake news,” and called for a “control mechanism and censorship of the social media practice in Nigeria.”

The communiqué read by Lalong frowned on “the subversive actions of the #EndSARS change protest” and declared support for a united and indivisible Nigeria.

“The meeting rejects and condemns the subversive actions of the #EndSARS change protest,” it said, adding, “The superlative agitations and other change-regime actions outside the ballot box soon take advantage of the peaceful protests to push for their separatist agenda.”

They applauded the major reforms going on in the police force even as they pledged to support President Muhammadu Buhari to succeed.

It also drew attention to the need to protect the FCT against unwarranted and destructive protests.

“The meeting raises attention on the need to keep a strict watch on the Federal Capital Territory to guide against unwarranted and destructive protests to safeguard critical assets of the nation,” it said.

The leaders said they had resolved to support the police to serve the country better and called for the building of trust between the people and the police.

They commended the National Assembly and the presidency for being proactive in addressing the issues raised by the #EndSARS protesters across the country.

They also expressed concern over the lingering strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and called for an amicable resolution of the issues to enable students to resume their studies.

The northern leaders called for engagement with other critical stakeholders such as religious leaders, the business community, and youth leaders, resolving to set up two major engagement committees – namely Committee on Roles of Traditional Rulers Membership, headed by the Emir of Lafia, Alhaji Sidi Muhammad, and Committee on Youth and Civil Societies headed by the Emir of Zazzau (Zaria), Alhaji Nuhu Bamalli, which are to commence work immediately.

They commended the role of religious leaders, such as the Ulamas, the Jama’atu Nasril Islam (JNI) and the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), for their positive interventions in resolving the #EndSARS conflicts.

The leaders called for collective efforts in addressing the lingering challenges of the North, especially the Almajiri system, insecurity, illiteracy, poverty, and others.”

The Deputy Speaker House of Representatives, Hon. Idris Wase; and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Mr Boss Mustapha, attended the meeting.

Others were the Minister of Information and Culture; Chief of Staff to the President, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari; and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Mallam Mohammad Bello.