IPOB: Nigeria goment meet wit Facebook for move to stop IPOB to use di platform to call for violence

protest in Rome

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Biafran activist Efe Uwanogho (centre) at an Ipob rally in Italy

Nigeria goment don ask Facebook and other social media platforms to stop dey allow di proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) to use dia platforms to call for violence and cause ethnic kasala for Nigeria.

Di Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, make di demand for di Nigeria capital, Abuja on Tuesday for one meeting wit a team from Facebook.

E tok say since IPOB na proscribed group and dem dey classified as a terrorist organization, Facebook no get reason to dey give dia platform to di organization to further dia campaign of hate and destabilization of di kontri.

“I call dis meeting to allow us discuss di increasing use of Facebook by separatists and anarchists, especially those of dem wey base for outside di kontri, to instigate violence and ethnic hatred for Nigeria.”, e tok for .

Di Minister say for whatever reason, di group don chose Facebook as dia platform of choice. And dia tools include disinformation, incendiary statements and hate speech.

“Dem dey use Facebook broadcasts to reach dia followers, wey dey in thousands. Dem dey tag those wey dey oppose dia violent ways as ‘saboteurs’ wey dem must attack, maimed and kill.

“Dem dey use both English and dia local language as dem like,

Pro Biafra protesters in southern Nigeria on Sunday 8 November, 2015

BBC
Ipob activists held frequent demonstrations over the detention of Mr Kanu

E also say di actions of di proscribed group get real-life implications, add am say:

”As dem dey spread hate and call for violence, pipo dey die and dem dey attack and destroy private and public property . Security agencies and other symbols of goment na dia choice targets.”

Oga Lai Mohamed say even as plenty pipo don complain to Facebook on di activities of IPOB, di company never do anything to stop di activities of di group’s excesses on di social media platform.

“Our social media pipo don dey monitor dis separatists, anarchists and purveyors of hate, and dem don dey report dia actions to Facebook, but wetin dem dey get na default responses say dem don receive dia complaints and dem dey look into am.

Many times, Facebook no dey do anything about di complaints, . Di truth be say whatever Facebook dey do to check dis pipo na mere tokenism and e totally dey ineffective,” e tok.

Alhaji Mohammed say di goment go dey monitor Facebook and oda platforms closely iin di days ahead to ensure compliance wit di demand, a e step up di campaign for di responsible use of social media.

“We don always advocate a responsible use of social media, and consistently call on all stakeholders to join us in achieving dis.

E also say some pipo don tag dia efforts as an attempt to stifle social media. Dis dey wrong, because im no get di intention of preventing Nigerians from using social media responsibly.

E say di Nigerian goment dey advocate a responsible use of social media.

Wetin Facebook don tok?

Facebook

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Facebook parent company Meta don tell BBC for statement say violence for dia platform dey unacceptable. Dem say dem get ova 15,000 pipo wey dey review content for more dan 70 languages, wey include igbo.

BBC investigation show plenti oda influential Ipob supporters wey dey ginger from outside di kontri dey promote fake news and ginger violence for social media from Europe, America, Asia and even oda parts of Africa.

Nigeria investigative tori pesin Nicholas Ibekwe tok say di group online operation be like “organised troll farm”.

E say, “Social media na Ipob most successful tool to take do most of wetin dem wan do today”.

Some supporters of di group get up to 100,000 followers for social media.