Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Festus Keyamo, has highlighted reasons why the social media should be regulated.
Keyamo pointed out that a fake news can set a whole tribe against another, hence the need to regulate social media.
The Minister stated this in reaction to speculations on Twitter that Fulani herdsmen yesterday attacked a bus travelling from Abuja to Owerri, and kidnapped a couple of passengers.
In a tweet, Keyamo said those conveying fake news should be punished but not death penalty.
“For those against regulation of social media, what should happen to this purveyor of TOTALLY FAKE news that can set a whole tribe against another?
“Can a civil suit for defamation cure this? Certainly not. There MUST be punishment for this type of behaviour, but NOT death penalty,” he tweeted.
Recall that the Presidency had recently warned that leaving the social media to operate without regulation could result in more lawlessness, violence, and deaths.
Buhari’s Personal Assistance on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu had issued the warning while explaining that the Federal Government was not against free speech.
