Senator blasts online news sites, bloggers

According to Today NG, he advised the President to be wary of online news sites that have become a thorn in the flesh of governments at all levels.

Adding that most of them publish half truths and down right lies.

Senator Ben Bruce said "In the last 16 years of civil rule, Nigerians have witnessed the rise of online news sites that have become a thorn in the flesh of governments at all levels because of the sensitive news, half truths and down right lies they sensationally publish. Nothing has distracted Nigerian governments over the years as these news outlets."

The Senator also said "They have also been assisted by print tabloids that call themselves news magazines but which publish sleaze instead of mainstream news. I can authoritatively state that much of the sensitive news that finds its way to these media emanate from competing ministers and infighting kitchen cabinet members struggling to outdo each other by secretly revealing embarrassing information about their colleagues to undermine their influence with the president."

Adding that "Where they have no dirty laundry to air against their colleagues, they cook up lies and half truths and these websites, hungry for Internet traffic, and their print media colleagues desperate to increase circulation and advertising, publish these stories without verification which are then swallowed by an unwitting public hook, line and sinker."