TheCable

Mohammed Idris, minister of information and national orientation, says the federal government will not trample on the rights of citizens in its fight against fake news in the country.

In an interview with NAN, Idris said fake news should be condemned and not tolerated by citizens.

The minister said fake news could lead to anarchy in the society and the loss of lives and property.

“We must be in the forefront of advocating for truthful information all the time,” he said.

“Everything that is fake should not be promoted. This is because it can lead to anarchy and destruction of lives and properties.

“And by the way, nobody will want his home, country, state or nation to be in tatters because somebody is encouraging fake news.

“Fake news should be condemned in all its ramifications. I have said that it is important for all of us to be careful in the way we navigate these waters.

“We know that we don’t want fake news.”

The minister said the fight against fake news must be collective.

“We must collectively come together and see ways and means by which these fake news can be tackled without necessarily trampling on the rights of the people, free press and freedom of information,” he said.