Buhari’s ex-aide asks Tinubu’s government to regulate TikTok, says it’s causing harm to Nigeria
A former media aide to ex-President Muhammadu Buhari, Bashir Ahmed, has asked the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to regulate social media, especially TikTok, saying it’s causing more harm than good for Nigeria.
In a post shared on official X handle on Thursday, Ahmad decried instances where criminal elements have used the platform to pass vital information to their partners in crime.
He argued that the freedom provided by the app is emboldening criminals to spread misinformation and propaganda.
He said, “It is alarming that TikTok, a global social media platform, is being utilised by criminals such as bandits, kidnappers, and terrorists in Nigeria to interact with the public and, in some cases, even engage in live conversations defending their heinous activities.
“The platform is causing more harm than good to our country, as it not only amplifies the voices of these criminals but also emboldens them by providing a space to spread their propaganda and misinformation. Nigeria needs stricter regulations and content monitoring on TikTok to prevent these dangerous individuals from using it for their malicious agendas.”
During Buhari’s tenure, the Federal Government banned the operations of the microblogging site Twitter, now X, in Nigeria for 222 days.
Twitter’s operations were suspended in Nigeria in June 2021, just days after the platform deleted a tweet by Buhari.
The Buhari administration, of which Ahmed was a part, lifted the ban from midnight on 13 January 2022.
Recently, concerns have been raised over viral videos on TikTok showing bandits flaunting cash purportedly collected as ransom for their victims.
A counter-insurgency expert and security analyst, Zagazola Makama, highlighted these videos in a series of posts on his X account.
Also, on Wednesday, Intel Region reported there was widespread outrage after a Nigerian residing in Canada in a TikTok video threatened to kill fellow Nigerians of Yoruba and Benin descents.
The woman identified as Amaka Patience Sunnberger and said to be a resident of Ontario, Canada, vowed to take poisonous substances to her workplace and harm any Yoruba or Benin person she came across.
She claimed her comments were in response to the “hate” against the Igbo.
Meanwhile, the House of Representatives has written to the Canadian government, urging it to investigate and prosecute the woman.
In a letter signed by Biodun Omoleye and Tochukwu Chinedu Okere, the federal lawmakers expressed concern over Sunnberger’s inflammatory statements, which they say constitute a direct threat to the lives and safety of millions of Nigerians.
The letter read in part, “On behalf of the Nigeria-Canada Parliamentary Friendship Group and the House Committee on Diaspora Matters, we are writing to express our deep concern regarding the actions of Ms. Amaka Patience Sunnberger, a Nigerian citizen residing in Canada.
“Ms. Sunnberger has recently been recorded making inflammatory statements that incite violence against the Yoruba and Edo ethnic groups in Nigeria, including advocating the poisoning of food and water supplies to achieve their mass genocide.
“Ms. Sunnberger’s recorded statements constitute a direct threat to the lives and safety of millions of Nigerians. Her incitement to violence and call for genocide through poisoning are not only deeply troubling but also represent a clear violation of multiple international, Canadian, and Ontario laws.
“Such rhetoric is dangerous and has the potential to incite real-world violence, both in Nigeria and within the Nigerian diaspora.”
The letter highlighted Sunnberger’s violations of international, Canadian, and Ontario laws, including the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, and the Criminal Code of Canada.
The lawmakers also requested an immediate and thorough investigation into Sunnberger’s actions, her prosecution under relevant Canadian laws, a public condemnation of her actions by the Canadian government, and collaboration with Nigerian authorities to prevent potential escalation of violence.
The letter added, “In light of the seriousness of these violations, we respectfully request the following actions:
“Investigation: An immediate and thorough investigation should be conducted into Ms. Sunberger’s actions by Canadian law enforcement and appropriate authorities.
“Prosecution: We urge that Ms. Sunberger be prosecuted under the relevant sections of the Criminal Code of Canada to hold her accountable for her incitement to genocide and hate speech.
“Public Denouncement: We request that the Canadian government issue a public condemnation of Ms. Sunberger’s actions to reaffirm Canada’s commitment to combatting hate speech, violence, and genocide.
“Collaboration with Nigerian Authorities: We also request that Canadian authorities collaborate with Nigerian authorities to prevent any potential escalation of violence as a result of Ms. Sunberger’s incitement, and to ensure that justice is served.”
