KADUNA: The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, has called on the Federal Government to introduce firm regulations to curb the misuse of social media platforms in Nigeria, warning that their unchecked use poses serious threats to national unity, mutual respect, and public order.
The Sultan made the appeal on Thursday through the Emir of Zazzau, Ambassador Ahmad Nuhu Bamalli, while delivering his message at the Northern Ulamah Summit on Insecurity and Socio-Economic Challenges held in Kaduna.
He lamented that social media has increasingly become a tool for spreading hate, misinformation, and disrespect among citizens, particularly toward leaders and elders. Anyone can wake up, pick up his or her phone, and insult anybody even family members or respected leaders without facing any consequences, the Sultan was quoted as saying.
He noted that unlike Nigeria, many other countries have established strict laws and monitoring systems to regulate social media use, ensuring that those who spread false or divisive content are traced and punished accordingly.
In other parts of the world, social media spaces are highly and strictly regulated. Offenders who post content capable of inciting division or chaos are identified and penalised. Nigeria cannot afford to ignore this growing danger, he added.
The Sultan urged Islamic scholars, political leaders, and traditional institutions to support government efforts aimed at promoting responsible digital communication and fostering unity across ethnic and religious divides.
The summit, organized by the Congregation of Northern Ulamas, brought together prominent Islamic clerics, political leaders, and stakeholders from across Northern Nigeria to deliberate on the region’s rising insecurity, socio-economic challenges, and the role of religious scholars in promoting peace and national development.
