….Warns against spread of hate speech on social media
Unity Schools Old Students’ Association (USOSA) has called on the Federal Government to take a tougher stand on the killing of Nigerians in different parts of the country.
The association made up of old students of Federal Government Colleges, warned that the Federal Government and states must expedite action with regard to apprehending and prosecuting persons or groups, that attack and kill Nigerians.
USOSA described as highly worrisome, the seeming inability of the Nigerian government to protect its citizens from violent attackers.
Chairman Caretaker Committee of USOSA, Ayodele Joseph, in a statement sent to Frontline News Online, stressed the need for government to act decisively.
Joseph, who sought the involvement of religious leaders in the promotion of mutual respect and peaceful co-existence, also urged that Nigerians avoid spreading falsehood and hate speech on social media.
The statement read in part: “We demand that federal and state governments show swift, decisive political will before, during and after all crises situations to enable the necessary machinery of government find and bring perpetrators to book.
“It is imperative that government avoids creating impressions or latitudes that can be explored to create mayhem and plant crises in the country. An urgent dialogue with all communities affected by the farmer and pastoralist crises is advocated. We urge the parties to come with open minds to such platforms knowing that no sane person benefits from conflict.
“We note and commend the effort of law enforcement agencies to stem the tide of killings. We further urge consistency of urgent action to deter conflict and protect lives. This is less costly than responding to crises that could be perceived as a pogrom.
“The role of investigative journalism cannot be over emphasized. Responsible journalism that gives a balanced story and perspective is critical for information management, the right policy responses and prevention of crises. We call on our media actors in the traditional and especially social media spaces to use speech responsibly.
“The social media has become more crucial with its ability to democratize access to and production of information. It has also become the source of untruths and disinformation, very dangerous for peace and democracy. We appeal to social media actors to self – regulate themselves and have truth and justice as their watch word”.
Please read the full text bellow:
A COMMUNIQUE ISSUED BY THE UNITY SCHOOLS OLD STUDENTS ASSOCIATION (USOSA) ON THE STATE OF THE NATION
No doubt, the events of the recent months have been troubling to all right thinking Nigerians regardless of their ethnicity, political inclination, religious persuasion, age or gender. The spate of killings, destructions and displacements have affected life as we have known it, even more worrisome is the accusation of a near genocide and the counter response. The consequences of these are plain to see; from the tensions in the land to utterances that question our national unity.
We, members of the Unity Schools Old Students’ Association (USOSA) are deeply concerned about this development. We have benefited from a Nigeria built upon mutual respect, tolerance and solidarity across the Niger. We went to Federal Government Colleges in the four corners of this country, far from home, in communities whose ways of life we have come to know and imbibe. We are therefore deeply saddened to see this avoidable situation, where distrust of each other and threat to safety and security of lives and property have replaced the positive values we cherish.
States in Nigeria with troubling persistent crisis include; Benue, Borno, Yobe and Adamawa, Kaduna, Plateau Sokoto and Zamfara states. Crises range from conflict between farmers and pastoralists, to killings, cattle rustling, and armed robbery. Others are kidnapping and the Boko Haram insurgency.
USOSA itself has been deeply affected by the insurgency. You will recall the infiltration and killing of innocent school boys in Federal Government College Buni Yadi, Yobe state in 2014. It was a rude shock with devastating consequences from which USOSA and the nation is yet to recover. All leave a terrible trademark of death, destruction, loss and trauma, with many injured and millions displaced. This situation leaves our country and all of us vulnerable, whether we live in, near or far away from these states.
USOSANs remain firm believers in the unity of this country. We are however not blind to its fault lines. We note that Nigeria’s coping strategy is under immense strain and that does not bode well for our existence as a happy, united entity. We therefore challenge ourselves and all critical stakeholders with a call to action.
We demand that federal and state governments show swift, decisive political will before, during and after all crises situations to enable the necessary machinery of government find and bring perpetrators to book. It is imperative that government avoids creating impressions or latitudes that can be explored to create mayhem and plant crises in the country. An urgent dialogue with all communities affected by the farmer and pastoralist crises is advocated. We urge the parties to come with open minds to such platforms knowing that no sane person benefits from conflict.
We note and commend the effort of law enforcement agencies to stem the tide of killings. We further urge consistency of urgent action to deter conflict and protect lives. This is less costly than responding to crises that could be perceived as a pogrom.
The role of investigative journalism cannot be over emphasized. Responsible journalism that gives a balanced story and perspective is critical for information management, the right policy responses and prevention of crises. We call on our media actors in the traditional and especially social media spaces to use speech responsibly. The social media has become more crucial with its ability to democratize access to and production of information. It has also become the source of untruths and disinformation, very dangerous for peace and democracy. We appeal to social media actors to self – regulate themselves and have truth and justice as their watch word.
For the National Orientation Agency and related communications agencies in the states, there is no better time than now to spread the message of peace and discourage hate speech. As we draw closer to the 2019 elections, this becomes an urgent imperative.
Religious and faith based groups must enlighten their followers on mutual respect and ensure their words are of peace. We commend the effort of those leaders who are already doing so. We urge an interfaith approach and face to the response from religious leaders as these matters are primarily those of political economy before they can be termed religious, if at all they are.
Our heart goes out to those who have suffered loss in this terrible situation. We mourn the death of innocent lives lost; we rue the loss of hard earned properties. We urge citizens to desist from spreading unverified information that could be fake news or disinformation designed to further stir up crises. Our duty should be to engage the authorities to demand positive urgent action, as we remain alert to threats to peace.
No one is safe or immune from the consequences of the decimation of peace and harmony. No one benefits from anarchy and disruption. We all should be found on the right side of history, along with those who do not fan the embers of ethnic or religious hatred but lend their voice to enabling an understanding of the root cause of these crises.
Our nationhood may be a work in progress but our individual citizenship and the sovereignty of the State of Nigeria should not be in doubt. We have no other homeland than Nigeria. Let us know that our African neighbours will be very hard pressed to open their borders to us should we make our homeland inhabitable. Only very few Nigerians have the means to flee the country and live comfortably elsewhere.
We pray for the repose of the souls of the departed and pray for peace and strengthened unity in our country, while demanding urgent policy and political response, and more commitment to Nigeria.
USOSA
‘Pro Unitate’
Ayodele Joseph. Mrs Aisha Oyebode
Chairman, Chairperson,
USOSA Caretaker Committee. USOSA Board of Trustees
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