Bashir Ahmed, a former media aide to ex-President Muhammadu Buhari, has urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration to impose regulations on social media, particularly TikTok, citing concerns that it is inflicting more harm than benefit on Nigeria.
In a post on his official X account on Thursday, Ahmed expressed alarm over cases where criminal elements have exploited the platform to communicate critical information with their accomplices.
He contended that the unrestricted nature of the app is encouraging criminals to disseminate misinformation and propaganda.
He stated, “It is concerning that TikTok, a global social media platform, is being misused by criminals such as bandits, kidnappers, and terrorists in Nigeria to interact with the public and, in some instances, even hold live discussions justifying their despicable actions.
“The platform is doing more harm than good for our nation, as it not only amplifies the voices of these criminals but also empowers them by offering a space to disseminate their propaganda and misinformation. Nigeria requires stricter regulations and enhanced content monitoring on TikTok to prevent these dangerous individuals from exploiting it for their malicious purposes.”
During Buhari’s administration, the Federal Government imposed a ban on the operations of Twitter, now known as X, in Nigeria for a period of 222 days.
Twitter’s services were suspended in Nigeria in June 2021, shortly after the platform removed a tweet from Buhari.
The Buhari administration, in which Ahmed served, lifted the Twitter ban at midnight on January 13, 2022.
Recently, there have been rising concerns about viral TikTok videos featuring bandits displaying cash that they claim was collected as ransom for their victims.
Zagazola Makama, a counter-insurgency expert and security analyst, brought attention to these videos through a series of posts on his X account.
On Wednesday, a report surfaced sparking widespread outrage after a Nigerian living in Canada posted a TikTok video threatening to kill fellow Nigerians of Yoruba and Benin descent.
The woman, identified as Amaka Patience Sunnberger and reportedly a resident of Ontario, Canada, declared her intention to bring poisonous substances to her workplace to harm any Yoruba or Benin individuals she encountered.
She claimed that her remarks were a reaction to the perceived “hate” directed towards the Igbo community.
Meanwhile, the House of Representatives has reached out to the Canadian government, calling for an investigation and prosecution of the woman.
In a letter signed by Biodun Omoleye and Tochukwu Chinedu Okere, the federal lawmakers expressed their alarm over Sunnberger’s inflammatory remarks, stating that they pose a direct threat to the lives and safety of millions of Nigerians.
The letter stated 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 for the poisoning of food and water supplies to carry out mass genocide.
“Her recorded remarks pose a direct threat to the lives and safety of millions of Nigerians. This incitement to violence and call for genocide through poisoning is not only deeply alarming but also constitutes a clear violation of several 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 underscored Sunnberger’s breaches of international, Canadian, and Ontario laws, such as 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 called for an immediate and thorough investigation into Sunnberger’s actions, her prosecution under applicable Canadian laws, a public condemnation of her statements by the Canadian government, and cooperation with Nigerian authorities to avert any potential escalation of violence.
The letter concluded, “Given the gravity of these violations, we respectfully request the following actions:
“Investigation: An immediate and comprehensive investigation into Ms. Sunnberger’s actions should be conducted by Canadian law enforcement and relevant authorities.
“Prosecution: We urge that Ms. Sunnberger be prosecuted under the pertinent 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 publicly condemn Ms. Sunnberger’s actions to reaffirm Canada’s commitment to combating hate speech, violence, and genocide.
“Collaboration with Nigerian Authorities: We also ask that Canadian authorities work together with Nigerian officials to prevent any potential escalation of violence resulting from Ms. Sunnberger’s incitement and ensure that justice is served.”
