News Obiaks News

Major-General John Enenche, the Director of Defence Information has disclosed that in light of all that's been happening in the spocial media world especially in terms of fake news, the Federal Government has intensified its efforts to monitor social media activities.

This move is aimed at tackling the high level of misinformation, sometimes capable of jeopardising the nation.

During an interview with Channels TV, Col. Enenche said "It is a double-edged sword and we are also having a bit of it," he said when he appeared on Channels Television's News At 10, hours after President Buhari met with service chiefs and ordered them to strengthen their operations. 

"Imagine when the President came back and addressed the nation, not up to 30 minutes later, a fake speech of the Commander-In-Chief was being circulated in order to do what? To derail the people. If you are not very sharp and if you didn't listen to the speech or you don't have a copy of it like I had it almost immediately, you wouldn't know. So, looking at it from that perspective, it is a challenge everywhere."

"Having observed the possibility that the social media can be misused the military has taken steps to address that. One of such steps is the establishment of strategic media centres. 

"What are we doing? In the military, we are now taking on it more seriously than ever. We have our strategic media centres that monitor the social media to be able to sieve out and react to all the ones that will be anti-government, be anti-military, (and) be anti-security," the military chief continued. 

"We tackle them appropriately with appropriate responses. Ahead of that, we are also proactive. We have measures in place, scientific measures to be able to sieve this information and also to get the public and let them know that some of this information they are getting is not genuine are not true and their objective is an anti-corporate existence of this country."

It is important to note that these comments from the Director of Defence Information come less than 48 hours after President Buhari's closed door meeting with service chiefs.