Plateau govt accuses media of spreading hate speech

The Plateau State Government has called on the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) to sanction media outfits engaged in spreading hate speeches and fake news.

The state’s Commissioner for Information, Yakubu Dati, made the call in Jos yesterday when he visited the NBC zonal office in the state.

He alleged that the media was being used by mischievous persons to fuel attacks and reprisals in Plateau’s rural communities.

While urging the NBC to descend on broadcasting stations not complying with approved regulations and codes, Dati said there was no country where media contents were not being monitored by regulatory agencies.

He said: “The recent attacks on Plateau Government House and Governor Simon Lalong’s convoy when he visited an Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camp were caused by fake news and hate speeches. People read, hear and circulate these fake news and hate speeches; the reactions manifest in the attacks on perceived enemies or opponents. We cannot continue like this.”

NBC Zonal Director Dr Igomu Onoja said that the commission had stepped up measures to sanction defaulting organisations.

He said that weekly checks on media stations had been embarked upon to enforce compliance with broadcasting codes. He added: “We have drawn the attention of some broadcasting stations in Plateau on the need to balance their news to ensure objectivity.”