Ogun to begin crackdown on purveyors of fake news soon —Gov Abiodun

By Bankole Taiwo, Abeokuta

The governor of Ogun State, Prince Dapo Abiodun has lamented that the reportage on the recent farmers/herders clashes in the state were characterised by fake news describing this as very regrettable and unacceptable dimension to his administration’s efforts at ensuring that peace reigns across the state.

Gov Abiodun stated this on Tuesday evening while handing over 10 patrol vehicles and 20 motorcycles armed with sophisticated communication gadgets to the Joint Security Intervention Squad (JSIS) the combined special security outfit purposely set up to help in resolving the farmers/ herders clashes in the state.

Abiodun said it was wrong for anyone to have reported that due to the farmers/herders crisis, 5000 Ogun indigenes are now at Internal Displaced Persons Camps in the neighbouring Republic of Benin saying that the report was nothing but outright falsehood.

The governor said that such huge number of people couldn’t have moved into another country without the government of such country raising brow or notifying the authority of the country of where the IDPs came from saying that such has never been the case over this unfounded report of 5000 Ogun indigenes as refugees in Republic of Benin.

While saying that his administration remained undeterred in engaging all stakeholders and deploying all resources, both human and materials towards finding lasting solution to the recurring farmers/herders clashes in the state, the governor condemned those who have chosen to distort facts and serve as purveyors of fake news and blatant lies.

Gov Abiodun said that he was already talking to the Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice in the state over how to curb the ugly virus of fake news that has the capacity of causing incalculable damage in any society.