IBB’s Rumoured Death, A Call To Enact Social Media Law – Bill Sponsor
Written by darling on December 17, 2019
The lawmaker representing Niger East Senatorial District, Senator Sani Musa, has described the rumour about the death of General Ibrahim Babangida (rtd) over the weekend as unfortunate, mischievous and unholy.
Senator Musa condemned the rumour in a statement on Monday, a day after the spokesman for the former military president, Kasim Afegbua, said the elder statesman “is alive and bubbling”.
He stressed that the incident was a call for the enactment of the social media regulation law which he pushed for in the Senate.
“Although death is inevitable for every human being, it is, however, not something to wish someone, not even one’s enemy,” Musa said.
He added, “It is ridiculous, unthinkable and barbaric for anyone to wish another person dead, especially someone of the calibre of General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida, one of Nigeria’s legends still living.”
The lawmaker recalled that rumours about the death of Babangida have surfaced at least four times in 2019 alone.
“The question most people ask is, who is behind the rumour? Why would he or she engage in such an act? What does he or she stand to gain?” he wondered, adding, “It is indeed baffling.”
Senator Musa, however, stated that the rumour has given credence to the need for the enactment of a social media regulation law.
According to him, although social media has a positive impact on the society, the lack of regulation has rather made it injurious to it.
The lawmaker said, “Truly, social media has great advantages. It has ushered in a new way of communication and social interactions which has also transformed and simplified human relations and bridged the gap between nations, regions and even continents of the world.
“Unfortunately, in the last few years, we have witnessed how this great innovation has also given rise to a worrisome phenomenon called fake news – an intent to deceive.”
Senator Musa decried that such a situation has taken over social media and cannot be allowed to continue.
If the social media is left unregulated by way of legislation, according to him, Nigerians would wake up someday to chaos.
He, therefore, urged security operatives in the country to investigate the source of the rumour and arrest the perpetrators.
Senator Musa also prayed for sound health for the elder statesman and wished him long life.
