In a bid to combat the spread of misinformation surrounding the ongoing Presidential Election Tribunal, Bayo Onanuga, Director Media and Publicity Tinubu/Shettima Campaign, has called on the Nigeria Police force to take action against individuals disseminating fake news.
Onanuga made his plea in a Tweet on Thursday, expressing his concern about the alarming and irresponsible dissemination of false information.
Onanuga highlighted the detrimental impact of the rampant spread of fake news within the digital sphere, stressing that all Nigerians should be worried about its consequences.
He pointed out that recent rulings by both the Appeal Court and the Supreme Court have debunked malicious rumors that aimed to tarnish the reputation of the judiciary, all driven by political motives.
“The Appeal Court, the Supreme Court have just debunked two of such malicious false news aimed at destroying our judiciary, all because of politics,” Onanuga stated.
Citing the Cybercrime law that addresses issues related to fake news, Onanuga urged the police force to act swiftly and apprehend those responsible for spreading misinformation. He expressed his belief that strict enforcement of the law is vital to preventing further harm to the nation.
“The police should wake up to their duties. Our country has a Cybercrime law that deals with fake news. Let the police implement the law or else fake news will destroy our country,” emphasized Onanuga.
His call for action comes in the wake of the Supreme Court’s denial of rumors suggesting that Chief Justice of Nigeria, Olukayode Ariwoola, had communicated with President Tinubu regarding the proceedings of the Presidential Election Tribunal.
The news was propagated by Nigerian journalist Jackson Udeh, who claimed that the CJN had advised President Tinubu to prepare for a potential rerun.
President Tinubu and the ruling All Progressives Congress swiftly refuted these claims, asserting that no such conversation had ever taken place.
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