Buhari blames Social media for fake news, Xenophobia

President Muhammadu Buhari has blamed social media for the spread of religious crisis, racism, Xenophobic attacks and false messages.

Buhari will addressing the 74th United Nations General Assembly in New York while holding social media outlets responsible for fuelling major crimes such as mass killings called for some regulations.

He also gave a warning to international groups that seek to perpetuate crime in Nigeria. “We are giving notice to international criminal groups by the vigorous prosecution of the P&ID scam attempting to cheat Nigeria of billions of dollars.”

“They cannot be allowed to continue to facilitate the spread of religious, racist, xenophobic and false messages capable of inciting whole communities against each other, leading to loss of many lives. This could tear some countries apart,” he said.

He told the 74th UNGA that his administration was fighting poverty and was dedicated to lifting millions above poverty line.

He also declared that, “No threat is more potent than poverty and exclusion,” noting that, “They are the foul source from which common criminality, insurgency, cross-border crimes, human trafficking and its terrible consequences draw their inspiration.”

READ: Nigeria tackling corruption head-on, Buhari tells UNGA

Describing poverty “as one of the greatest challenges facing our world,” President Buhari noted that, “Its eradication is an indispensable requirement for achieving sustainable development,” while highlighting his administration’s efforts to overcome the challenge.

On the 2019 presidential elections, he said “our people backed the politics of tolerance, inclusion and community over the politics of protest and division.”

In his speech reproduced below, the President reaffirmed Nigeria’s position on certain issues which impinge on global peace, security, progress, democracy and development.