Osun Inaugurates Committee To Curb Fake News, Cyberbullying

– Osun State governor, Ademola Adeleke

By Bunmi Onakan

Osun State Government has set up a committee to tackle cyber crimes, cyberbullying and online fake news, in accordance with relevant provisions of the law.

This is contained in a statement by the Commissioner for Information, Kolapo Alimi, on Sunday in Osogbo.

Mr Alimi said that the inauguration of the committee became necessary to sanitise the governance space and ensure that politicking and governance took place in an atmosphere of responsibility, decency and honesty.

According to him, the increasing wave of fake news negatively affects both the government and the opposition.
The commissioner said it was high time operators were brought within the confines of the law in the exercise of their rights as guaranteed by the constitution.

Mr Alimi, who stated that the committee was domiciled in the Ministry of Justice, said it had journalists and legal practitioners as members.
He said that part of the committee’s mandate was to ensure that fake news were nipped in the bud, irrespective of the perpetrators.

The commissioner said that the committee would apply relevant sections of Cybercrime Act of 2015 as operational clauses to ensure that stakeholders operated within the law in the exercise and enjoyment of their fundamental human rights.

Mr Alimi, who expressed Governor Ademola Adeleke’s commitment to delivery of good governance, due process, rule of law and fear of God, said that the committee would host its maiden meeting on Monday.
(NAN)