EDITOR’S PICK:
EKO HOT BLOG reports that President Muhammadu Buhari has tasked the Isa Pantami-led Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy alongside those of Information and Culture, Police Affairs to work with GSM providers and Tech companies to help contain the spread of false and inflammatory information through social media.
The President handed them this task while condemning in strong terms the gruesome murder of a female student in Sokoto, Deborah Samuel, for alleged blasphemy.
A mob of suspected students lynched Ms Samuel, a year-two student of the Shehu Shagari College of Education in Sokoto, for allegedly making derogatory statements about the Prophet of Islam, Mohammed.
A statement issued on Friday by the president’s spokesperson, Garba Shehu, said, “President Muhammadu Buhari strongly condemns the resort to self-help by the mob in sokoto, resulting in violence, destruction and killing of a second year student of Shehu Shagari College of Education, Sokoto, Deborah Samuel, following an allegation that she had blasphemed Muhammad (SAW), the Prophet of Islam on Thursday”.
He disclosed that “Muslims all over the world demand respect for the Holy Prophets, including Isah (Alaihissalaam, Jesus Christ) and Muhammad (SAW)” but where transgressions occur, as alleged to be the case in this instance, the law does not allow anyone to take matters into their hands.
The statement read further, “President Buhari said the news of the killing of the young lady by fellow students was a matter of concern and demanded an impartial, extensive probe into all that happened before and during the incident.
“Moreover, religious leaders preach that it is not for the believer to judge the actions of another person. The constituted authority must be allowed to deal with such matters when they arise.
“No person has the right to take the law in his or her own hands in this country. Violence has and never will solve any problem.
“President Buhari also directed the Ministries of Information and Culture, Police Affairs and that of Communications and Digital Economy to work with GSM providers and Tech companies to help contain the spread of false and inflammatory information through social media.
“The President extended the nation’s condolences to the family of the deceased student and wished all those injured a quick recovery. He commended the immediate response to the incident by the Government and urged religious and community leaders to call citizens’ attention to the need to exercise the right to freedom of speech responsibly.
FURTHER READING:
Buhari went on to call for tampered comments by the media and calm among the general population while investigation is ongoing to find out the remote and immediate causes of the incident.”
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