THE Sultan of Sokoto, Sa’ad Abubakar III, has urged the Federal Government to introduce stronger regulations on social media use in Nigeria, citing its growing abuse and potential threat to national peace and unity.
Represented by the Emir of Zazzau, Ahmad Nuhu Bamalli, the Sultan made the call during the Northern Ulamah Summit on insecurity and socioeconomic challenges, organised by the Congregation of Northern Ulamas in Kaduna.
He expressed concern that social media had increasingly become a platform for insults, misinformation, and incitement, even among scholars, warning that the trend undermined social harmony and respect.
“Anyone can wake up, pick up their phone, and insult anyone, be it a respected individual, a leader, your neighbour, or even a family member. There are no laws, no consequences, and no one to challenge this behaviour,” he was quoted to have said.
He also added that “in other countries, social media is regulated. If someone posts something that causes division or incites unrest, they can be traced and punished. This is how it should be done in our country.”
On his part, the President of the Supreme Council for Sharia in Nigeria, Bashir Aliyu Umar, said the gathering aimed to strengthen unity and develop practical solutions to the region’s challenges.
He also warned that the spread of misinformation through social media had become a major driver of conflict and distrust.
He urged Nigerians to use digital platforms responsibly and constructively to support government efforts in addressing insecurity.
On his part, the senator representing Kano South Senatorial District, Kawu Samaila, reacted to international allegations of religious persecution in Nigeria, describing them as baseless.
“Claims of genocide against Christians in Nigeria are false. Even Christian lawmakers in the Senate have dismissed those allegations, affirming that Muslims and Christians live peacefully in this country,” he said.
He further urged Islamic scholars to verify information before making public statements, especially when discussing political or sensitive national issues.
Their comments came amid renewed international debates over alleged persecution of Christians in Nigeria and growing domestic calls for social media oversight to curb hate speech and false narratives that deepen religious and ethnic mistrust.
The ICIR reports that in recent weeks, Nigeria has found itself at the center of a heated international and domestic debates over allegations of “Christian genocide” and religious persecution.
The controversy began when several United States lawmakers, including Senator Ted Cruz and Representative Riley Moore, raised alarm over what they described as “systematic killings and persecution of Christians in Nigeria.”
Cruz also introduced a bill calling for the protection of “persecuted Christians” in the country, while others urged the U.S. State Department to take diplomatic action against the Nigerian government.
Reacting, President Bola Tinubu, on September 30, described the allegations as unfounded, stressing that the nation was built on the faith and resilience of its people.
Tinubu affirmed that no religion was under threat in the country, adding that after 65 years of independence, Nigerians had learnt to value and embrace their cultural and religious diversity.
Similarly, the lawmaker representing Borno South, Senator Ali Ndume, appealed to the Senate at plenary on Tuesday, October 14, to open diplomatic discussions with members of the United States Congress to challenge what it described as “dangerous misrepresentations” portraying Nigeria’s security crisis as a campaign of Christian genocide.
On October 8, Minister of Information Mohammed Idris dismissed the claims of a Christian genocide in Nigeria, describing them as “ignorant, false, and baseless.”
Mustapha Usman is an investigative journalist with the International Centre for Investigative Reporting. You can easily reach him via: musman@icirnigeria.com. He tweets @UsmanMustapha_M