Coronavirus: Facebook working with Nigeria against fake news - FG
- As it continues its battle the outbreak of coronavirus, the federal government is making serious efforts to tackle fake news related to the disturbing issue
- The ministry of information and culture has said that it is working with Facebook to take actions against the propellers of false reports which cause panic among Nigerians
- This was revealed by the minister, Lai Mohammed, on Friday, February 28
As a way of stemming the tide of fake news related to the outbreak and spread of coronavirus in Nigeria, the federal government has revealed its partnership with Facebook in this regard.
Speaking on the efforts of the government to deal with those who trigger panic in the society through unfounded reports, the minister of information and culture, Lai Mohammed, called on Nigerians not to fall prey to such mischievous persons.
Mohammed, in a statement made available to Legit.ng, said that the US-based online firm has promised the government that it will not hesitate to shut down any site identified as propelling false reports about the epidemic.
The minister said: “They have also assured us that they are taking preemptive action to remove any false or harmful messages about this epidemic and public health in Nigeria 24/7.
"All that Nigerians are required to do is to flag any false or misleading report on the epidemic and Facebook will remove any such report."
He said that media agencies of the Nigerian government like the NTA, FRCN, NAN, and VON, alongside the ministry, have been directed to intensify their sensitisation and enlightenment moves in all parts of the country on the disease.
The minister reassured Nigerians that the government is more than equipped to tackle all cases of the virus.
Meanwhile, Legit.ng reported that since the outbreak of the global epidemic, Coronavirus, in Lagos, residents in the state had been thrown into wonder as to how the infected Italian was not detected at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, his first port of entry.
However, the minister of health, Osagie Ehanire, had revealed how the foreigner escaped detection at the Lagos airport.
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At a press briefing on the issue in Abuja on Friday, February, Ehanire said that as at the time the Italian arrived Nigeria, he was not exhibiting any known and established symptoms of the disease.
The minister debunked claims that this was a case of the failure of screening. He insisted that the virus was still at the incubation stage when the man was screened by health officials. Ehanire said: “So, it is not that it is a failure of screening.
"The screening went very well. The information I have this very morning is that he is stable, so all people will not be equally severe.”
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Source: Legit.ng
