By Kingston Magare 5.12.2025
Senator Ned Nwoko has called for stringent measures to be taken against social media bullying, harassment and malicious contents in Nigeria.
This was after a young man went on social media to claim that the Senator representing Delta North had paid him N5m to assassinate his estranged wife, Regina Daniels. It turned out to be a hoax, and the man has apologised to Ned Nwoko saying he was only click baiting.
Writing on his X social media platform Ned Nwoko said this is only happening because social media was not regulated in the country and it was about time something was done to curtail such irresponsible and damaging acts.
“Nigerian social media space has become one of the most unregulated in the world.
“Laying very serious allegations have become a common trait to attract millions of views without recourse to the damaging effects on the people involved,” Nwoko wrote.
“Knowing that there could be evasion of consequences because they can easily prey on the emotions of Nigerians encourages this deviant behavior. This case and many others has now clearly justified the urgent need for the social media bill in the national assembly.
“You can’t lie to make money and turn around to apologize after criminally defaming and hurting people. It is time for social media companies to be mandated to open offices in Nigeria and to take responsibility for what they allow on their platforms.
“If landlords are being threatened with punishments for actions of their tenants who are yahoo boys, what stops social media companies from being held responsible for allowing defamatory contents in their platforms. All our local media houses comply with laws concerning defamation. Why make an exception for foreign companies who don’t pay taxes and ultimately avoid all manner of liabilities because of the absence of regulations.
“We must effectively be able to apply regulations or there is no end to this. It’s Senator Ned today, who knows who is next?”