The importance of social media cannot be overemphasized, given the numerous advantages that it has brought to humanity. With the advent of social media, people can easily connect with one another, sharing ideas, thoughts, and opinions across frontiers. Social media has also become a tool for business owners, organizations, and service providers to promote their businesses and engage with prospective clients across geographical borders.
However, with the rise in the use of social media, it is increasingly becoming a tool of oppression; stalking, identity theft, personal attacks, and misuse of information are some of the dangers faced by social media users. The quest for likes, shares, comments, and increased traffic are some of the underlying factors why people are sometimes reckless in what they say on social media without considering the consequences of their actions on others and themselves.
Recently, gospel artiste Nathaniel Bassey, petitioned Inspector-General of Police Kayode Egbetokun to investigate and prosecute four individuals who falsely accused him of being the father of Mercy Chinwo’s child.
The petition, according to Bassey’s legal representatives, was submitted on April 1, 2024, alleging criminal defamation and cyber stalking against some individuals identified as Okoronkwo Ejike, Kingsley Ibeh, Terrence Ekot, and Dj Spoiltkid.
The four social media users alleged that Nathaniel Bassey fathered the child of fellow popular gospel singer Mercy Chinwo, leading to the spread of the false accusation on X (formerly Twitter). This is one of the many examples of false accusations and deliberate damage to reputation that go on daily in the social media space. This type of unfounded allegations and malicious statements can tarnish the reputation that these individuals have built over the years and consequently render their marriages and businesses unstable. Why should a sane person utter statements capable of causing others to suffer?
Section 24(1)(b) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act 2015 states that:
Any person who knowingly or intentionally sends a message or other matter by means of computer systems or network that:
(b) he knows to be false, for the purpose of causing annoyance, inconvenience danger, obstruction, insult, injury, criminal intimidation, enmity, hatred, ill will or needless anxiety to another or causes such a message to be sent: commits an offence under this Act and shall be liable on conviction to a fine of not more than N7,000,000.00 or imprisonment for a term of not more than 3 years or to both such fine and imprisonment.
While we advocate for freedom of expression as enshrined in Section 39, Subsections 1 and 2, of the 1999 Constitution, ‘Every person is entitled to freedom of expression, including the freedom to hold opinions and to receive and impart ideas and information without interference…’ This freedom should be exercised within the ambit of the law. Undoubtedly, regardless of ethnicity, gender, nationality, religion, language, social, or marital status, people have the right to express themselves ‘intelligently’ but when such rights infringe on other people's rights, they must take responsibility and be ready to face the consequences of their actions.
This issue of Nathaniel Bassey will be a wakeup call for ‘online in-laws’ and ‘keypad mercenaries’ to take caution and be responsible in what they like, share, and endorse on the social media space.
Oyetunde Oni is my name. I am a writer, a broadcast journalist, and a lover of good works. I am excited to be back here after a few weeks of break. Have a wonderful weekend!
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