The National President of the Peace Revival and Reconciliation Foundation of Nigeria, Hajiya Ramatu Tijjani, has urged the Federal Government to urgently regulate social media platforms, similar to the way it established the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) to oversee traditional media.
In a press release to journalists, Hajiya Ramatu emphasized the need for the government to establish an agency responsible for monitoring activities across social media platforms.
She warned that unchecked online content risks promoting foreign cultures and values that contradict Nigeria’s cultural, ethnic, and religious teachings.
Hajiya Ramatu, who is also an interfaith specialist and the National President of the Foundation for the Protection of Women and Children in Nigeria, stressed the importance of developing mechanisms to monitor online activities within the country.
She pointed out the increasing circulation of harmful content and called for stronger regulations to promote national unity and patriotism.
“There is a need to control many of the posts shared by citizens on social media and to educate users on the importance of responsible communication,” she said.
She further urged mobile network providers to be actively engaged in addressing the spread of hate speech, particularly in local languages, across digital platforms.
According to her, introducing a regulatory board dedicated to monitoring social media activities would help reduce the spread of hate speech and prevent unnecessary debates that could incite conflict.
Hajiya Ramatu also called on civil society organizations, non-governmental organizations, and religious and traditional leaders to support both state and federal governments in creating awareness programs. These programs, she said, should educate citizens on the dangers of irresponsible online behavior and the risks associated with hate speech.
In addition, she appealed to parents and guardians to closely monitor the websites and platforms their children access, in order to protect them from explicit content and the adoption of foreign cultural practices.
Finally, she encouraged media organizations across the country to support campaigns aimed at regulating social media, with the goal of sanitizing the digital space and promoting a healthier information environment.
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