Social media Has Compounded Insecurity in Nigeria – Folarin

Chairman, Senate Committee on local content, Senator Teslim Kolawole Folarin has blamed Social Media for compounding security challenge facing Nigeria.

Folarin stated this while stressing the need for the decentralisation of the security architecture in the country in order to put an end to the rising cases of kidnapping, banditry, armed robberies and other criminal activities.

The lawmaker, who represents Oyo Central senatorial district at the National Assembly, made the disclosure while speaking at a lecture entitled “The challenges of governance and security in Nigeria” at the 2021 alumni lecture of the University of Ibadan Alumni Association, Oyo State branch on Friday.

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He said: “Perhaps we should give more thought to the need to decentralise the security architecture of the country.

“It is very clear that the statistics of insecurity is rising in great and geometric proportions. We are all witnessing the negative effects of insecurity in the land.

“These include incidents and cases of kidnapping, armed robberies, violence and other acts of insurrection.

“There is no way a police officer from Awka in Ananbra can come to Oja Igbo in Ibadan and effectively police the area. He does not know the terrain. So, there is a need to decentralise the security architecture in the country.

“We must emphasize the fact that the social media has compounded the challenges of security and governance in the country. What do I mean?

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“The new media has the advantage of quick and wide disemination of information, but the new media is also notorious for the spread of half-truths and fake news which can pose greater in the mind nation,”