Sultan of Sokoto Labels Social Media ‘Terrorist Organisation’, Calls for Security Agencies to Take Action

Sultan of Sokoto and President-General of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), His Eminence Alhaji Muhammadu Sa’adu Abubakar III, has denounced in very strict terms the uncontrolled domination of social media as a “terrorist organisation” that poses a significant threat to national security and social cohesion.

Speaking at the 7th Executive Committee Meeting of the Northern Traditional Rulers’ Council held in Maiduguri, the capital of Borno State, the Sultan lamented how information and incitement are readily disseminated online, creating unrest and division nationwide.

Social media is one terror outfit,” the Sultan said. “They can be at home and spin stories, and you will see it is true. Social media is a terror outfit which we have to manage. Security agencies have to manage this terror outfit called social media.

He called on the Nigerian security agencies to act swiftly and assertively in policing and controlling the dangers of hate speech and fake news on the internet. According to the Sultan, the transmission of false information on social media has emboldened conflict entrepreneurs and added to the insecurity of the country.

The Sultan’s statement was made during a period of growing insecurity in some regions of the country, particularly Plateau State, where attacks and violence against communities have claimed many lives. He addressed the frequent killings and blamed government officials and security agents for issuing mere lip service condemnations without tangible results.

“We as traditional rulers uniting in the North, in my opinion, we have more than 86 traditional rulers. We must present one voice to say ‘enough is enough’ of this useless slaughter of innocent citizens in the North and the whole country at large,” he said.

He further added that the traditional leaders are always left dismayed if there is any violence in their regions, especially if innocent people lose their lives without justice and accountability.

“We, traditional rulers, get bad and disturbed when our own people are murdered by unknown persons. It is time we exerted ourselves a bit more, speak to each other, and in a secret meeting, talked about this state of affairs.”. We shall counsel our political masters—our affairs are in their hands—and we shall cooperate with them,” the Sultan further stated.

The Sultan’s remarks have sparked widespread controversy across the country with some finding themselves in support of the call for more control over social media, while others warn against turning security matters into a pretext for suffocating freedom of expression and press freedom.

As Nigeria grapples with the complex mix of insecurity, political instability, and socio-economic concerns, the appeal by one of the country’s most influential traditional rulers joins rising debate over the role of online spaces in influencing methods towards national stability and public debate.