Taraba council warns against social media posts capable of escalating crisis

The leadership of Sardauna Local Government Council in Taraba State has issued a stern warning to individuals and groups against disseminating unverified information on social media that could exacerbate the recent peace breach in Mbara Village, Mbamnga District. In a statement penned by the council chairman, Mohammed Jirji Umar, he expressed alarm over the proliferation of falsehoods, provocative videos, outdated photographs, hate speech, and exaggerated reports about the incident.

Umar emphasized that these actions were impeding the efforts of the Taraba State Government, security forces, traditional leaders, and the local government to restore enduring peace and security in the affected communities. "The council will no longer condone the dissemination of content that could worsen the situation," Umar declared.

He reassured residents that the Sardauna Local Government Council was maintaining a calm demeanor, with security personnel firmly deployed and under control of the crisis. He added that normalcy was gradually returning to the impacted region, and ongoing dialogues among pertinent stakeholders were underway to resolve the conflict.

The council issued a final warning to anyone within and outside the local government who publishes, shares, or forwards unverified, inciting, or misleading material. "Any individual found engaging in such activities would be traced, arrested, and prosecuted under the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2015, as amended in 2024, as well as other applicable laws related to criminal defamation, incitement, and breach of public peace," Umar warned.

He appealed to residents and other concerned citizens to disregard fake news and obtain information through official channels. He urged members of the public to employ social media responsibly and report suspicious online behaviors to security agencies. Umar emphasized that residents should utilize social media platforms to foster peace and reconciliation rather than intensifying tensions in the local government.