Presidential aide supports FG’s directive to monitor social media

chika ebuzor

August 29, 2017 7:26 AM

Shehu also said that there is nothing wrong with the directive, as long as it can curb hate speeches.

The Senior Special Assistant to President Buhari on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu has said that it is not out of place for his boss to ask the military to monitor social media accounts in Nigeria.

According to Daily Post, Shehu also said that there is nothing wrong with the directive, as long as it can curb hate speeches.

The presidential aide said this while answering questions on a Politics Today, a Channels Television programme.

Shehu also said “I know that this country, in fact, the whole world has a big problem with balancing free speech and what we call in this country hate speech.

“It has many faces depending on which country you are dealing with. In most of these European countries, (and) America, they are dealing with Islamic terror. In America, white extremism and all of that… All of it fed substantially by the Internet.

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“I believe that people can justify that. A lot of countries are taking notes. If Nigeria does it, I don’t know. I’m in a position to say ‘yes’ or ‘no’. But if it happens in this country, it is not extraordinary, it is not unusual. Everybody is interested. Look, this thing about international terrorism is big and nobody is leaving it to chances.”

Also speaking on the issue of hate speeches, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters (Senate), Sen. Ita Enang, said that the Federal Government’s directivehas not deviated from existing laws against defamation, libel, sedition and other related matters.

chika ebuzor