By Emmanuel Obisue
At a one-day Seminar organized in Aba, Abia State by the Nigerian Army, social media users have been sensitised on the dangers of fake news and misinformation on national security.
Attended by over 300 social media practitioners and mainstream journalists in the state on Tuesday, the theme for the 33rd edition of the nationwide seminar was “Enhancing national security through responsible use of social media.”
In his welcome, the Chief of Civil-Military Affairs, Maj.-Gen. Nosa Ugbo, said that the programme offered an opportunity for the military to cross-fertilise ideas with the youth on how best to deploy the social media and avoid causing a breach of the peace and security in the country.
Ugbo, who was represented by the Director of Psychological Operations, Brig.-Gen. B.S Keji of the Department of Civil-Military Affairs, said the seminar was meant to chart ways for collective security responsibility, given that security is everybody’s business.
He said, “We held this kind of event in Damaturu in February. This is the turn of Abia and it is not by mistake that we choose Aba as the venue. It is pertinent that we choose Aba, a nice industrious city of the state with energetic youths, who are mostly productive.”
Also, the Garrison Officer Commanding 82 Division, Maj.-Gen. Hassan Dada, expressed delight at the event, saying that it was worthwhile.
“I am delighted to be here for a great seminar for the social media users in Abia as it has been held in some other states of the federation. We give focus to social media users because of their pivotal role in nation building and they constitute the greater percentage of the society,” Dada said.
Popular Nollywood actor, Osita Iheme, stagenamed “Pawpaw,” urged social media users to minimise what they post on the platforms and always confirm the authenticity of their information before hitting the publish button.
“Social media was not created to cause harm but educate and sensitise the people to what is happening around them and should not be a tool to incite the public. Remember that whatever you send out on social media describes who you are so use the media positively,” Iheme said.
