By Aliyu Dangida
Dutse Famous Islamic scholars have blamed politicians over the increased spread of hate speeches and the circulation of fake news in the country.
At the Ramadan lecture organised by the Nigerian Television Authority, NTA Dutse, Jigawa State, in conjunction with the Federal University Dutse, FUD with the theme: The spread of fake news and hate speech: the position of Islam, the guest speaker, Dr. Abubakar Sani Birnin Kudu said the social media is an influential platform that has become the strongest tool utilised by people to cause mischief in the society.
Dr Abubakar who is also the Chief Imam of Dutse Central Mosque added that the global clamour for freedom of speech and freedom of expression is being utilised negatively such that everyone interprets freedom in a manner that suits him and gives him the chance to generate and spread his kind of misinformation.”
He stated that “the abuse of this freedom is the subject of discussion all over the globe as it affects politics, religion, socio-economic life, ethnicity etc.”, adding that: “Lies are made to appear as normal decent and true stories.”
He noted with dismay that hostile and hateful comments dominate the social media while dangerous messages spreading like wild fire have become the order of the day.
The representative of the Jigawa State Governor, Alhaji Bala Ibrahim Mamser also blamed the proliferation of independent media houses that condone the perpetrators of such vice by giving them the platform to air their perceived freedom of expression views.
He said the National Communication Commission, NCC in conjunction with the Nigerian Broadcasting Commission, NBC must clamp down on any defaulting media house or media platform used in the propagation of either hate or fake news to serve as a deterrent to others.
Also at the event, the Vice-Chancellor of FUD, Prof. Fatima Batul Mukhtar admonished the NTA to propagate more, the message against hate speech.
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