A former minister and educationist, Jibril Aminu, has said that hate speeches in the polity and fake news spread in the media were the main causes of the 1967 Civil War in the country.
Speaking in Kano, alongside the Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed, during the 4th annual conference of the Association of Communication Scholars and Professionals of Nigeria, which held in Kano on Wednesday, Mr. Aminu said Nigerians should be wary of being drawn into the same trap that led to the civil war.
The professor also asked the media to be proactive in its reportage and avoids acts capable of further dividing the nation.
Earlier, the minister of information said the government was disturbed by the trend of hates speeches from various individuals and groups which he described “as worrisome.”
He said the government is geared towards addressing the issue of hate speech, fake news and misinformation.
According to him, the “enemies of the government are responsible for the mischievous speeches” which he said was aimed at causing unnecessary distractions and heating the polity. He, however, said the government would not gag the media or free speech.
He also linked Nigeria’s recent exit from recession as an indication of the success of the economic policies of the present administration.
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