The Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, on Friday, said the violence that resulted from the hijack of the #EndSARS protest in Nigeria was caused by fake news and disinformation.
The Minister disclosed this during a stakeholders’ meeting with members of the Broadcasting Organisation of Nigeria (BON) in Abuja.
According to him, fake news and disinformation spread like wildfire on social media during the #EndSARS protests, thereby leading to killings and vandalism in different states across Nigeria.
It could be recalled that violence, looting and destruction occurred in the wake of the #EndSARS protest across Nigeria as some hoodlums attacked protesters who had been demanding an end to police brutality in Lagos State and other parts of the country.
“The violence that resulted from the hijack of the End SARS protest was catalyzed by fake news and disinformation, which spread like wildfire on social media.
“And this didn’t come to us as a surprise. As far back as 2017, we had been raising the alarm on the risks posed by fake news and disinformation.
“That year, we devoted the National Council on Information to the issue of fake news, hate speech and disinformation. The following year, in 2018, we launched the national campaign against fake news and disinformation, partnering with a number of print and electronic media organizations,” Mohammed said.