Lai Mohammed The Federal Government has assured Nigerians that it is well-equipped to detect and handle case or cases of coronavirus. Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed stated this during a press briefing on FG response to Coronavirus, following the first confirmed case in Nigeria.
He appealed to Nigerians not to panic, saying that “we know that at times like this, purveyors of fake news and disinformation usually ramp up their acts. We are therefore urging Nigerians not to fall for the antics of purveyors of fakes news and disinformation”. “Fortunately, Facebook is working with us in this regard. They have asked Nigerians to report any false or misleading report on Facebook and Instagram pages so they can immediately bring them down”
“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. Alhaji Mohammed also said that media agencies of the Federal Ministry of Information and Culture, like the NTA, FRCN, NAN, VON and NOA, have been directed to intensify their ongoing sensitization and enlightenment campaign to arm Nigerians with the necessary information to stay well.