Former Kaduna senator Shehu Sani has said regulating social media in Nigeria presents a dilemma, warning that such action could suppress free speech and shield governments from accountability.
The 57-years-old stated this on X on Sunday, a day after the Department of State Services (DSS) wrote to X demanding the removal of a post by activist Omoyele Sowore, in which he described President Bola Tinubu as a “criminal” over alleged corruption claims.
In his post, Mr Sani said social media can be misused for harassment and violence, but regulation also carries risks.
He wrote, “If you regulate the social media, you trample on freedom of speech and shield governments, states, and institutions from being held accountable.
“If you don’t regulate the social media, it becomes a tool for hate, harassment, defamation, corrupting culture, and incitement to violence.”
The former lawmaker said the challenge is not peculiar to Nigeria, noting that “even Western democracies are confused about what to do with the social media.”
Sani compared social media to a weapon, writing that it “can be used to prevent murder and to commit murder.”
He urged democratic states to strike a balance between protecting rights and preventing misuse of the platforms.
However, Omoyele Sowore has rejected the DSS directive, saying he would not delete his post on Tinubu.
He described the security agency’s request as an attempt to silence dissent.
