The Sultan of Sokoto and President General, Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III has warned the Buhari administration might end up digging its own grave if it fails to read the handwriting on the wall.
He said recent protests by youths in the country is enough warning that the youth population in the country is not well carried along. He also wondered why the president would appoint someone over 50 years to represent the nation's youth population in today's digital age.
The Sultan added that unless the Nation's leaders carry the youths along, he sees nothing but more troubles ahead.
The traditional ruler stated this during a roundtable meeting organised by the Alumni Association of the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS).
The roundtable which was with the theme: “Strategies for counter measures and peaceful development,” had in attendance security experts and many other stakeholders from Zamfara, Kebbi and other states.
“We must carry the youths along to have a peaceful society. How would someone over 50 be the youth leader of a political party? Sultan said while speaking at the event.
Sultan, who kicked against moves to regulate the social media, advised that the government should always fish out those using it negatively to fabricate lies just to destabilise the society.
“You don’t have to regulate social media,” Sultan said, advising the government to act according to the provisions of the law.
President Muhammadu Buhari, had through the Minister of Youths and Sports Development, Mr Sunday Dare, said regulating the social media will not deny Nigerians their freedom contrary to reports.
The Minister, made the statement while appearing on Channels Television’s morning show: Sunrise Daily.
He said other countries had taken certain measures to exercise some levels of restraint over the cyberspace but Nigeria was yet to do so.
According to him, the government had the option of shutting down the social media space in Nigeria during the #EndSARS protests but chose not to tread the path, adding that the National Assembly will do justice to the proposed regulation of the social media to guard against the spread of fake news.
He said, “The issue of fake news is bothersome for the government and the protests brought home the dangers of fake news.
“The talk around regulation, of course, we have a National Assembly, it will have to go through the normal process. We have a constitution, we have to make sure it does not violate certain provisions of the constitution that has to do with freedom of expression.
“Where you have fake news destroying lives, the government has a responsibility to make sure that there is a level of control. It is not censorship but some level of control.
“There must be some level of responsibility and some level of punishment to those that will create chaos out of mischief in our country.”