The Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar has criticized social media, calling it a “terrorist organization” due to the role it plays in spreading false information.
He made the remarks on Tuesday during the 7th executive committee meeting of the Northern Traditional Rulers’ Council in Maiduguri.
The Sultan warned that fake news and misleading content shared online could further destabilize the country’s already fragile security.
Abubakar urged Nigeria’s security forces to treat the issue seriously, saying social media should be dealt with like any other security threat.
According to him, “What happened has happened. It can’t come and be through social media. That’s one terrorist organisation…social media. Social media is a terrorist organisation.
“What they do… somebody will sit in his comfort zone and formulate stories and you will think that it is true. So, social media is a terrorist organisation that we must deal with. Security agencies must deal with this terrorist organisation called social media.”
Speaking about recent violence in Plateau and other parts of the country, the Sultan expressed deep concern and called for swift action.
The sultan said the rise in attacks and insecurity in these regions is troubling and needs urgent government attention.
Meanwhile, Amnesty International revealed in a statement on Monday that the death toll from the recent Plateau attacks has risen to 54. The group also noted that many residents have fled their homes and now live in fear of more violence.