A former Minister of Education, Kenneth Gbagi, has called on security agencies and the Department of State Services to clampdown on faceless online news and social media who spread false information about government and individuals serving the nation.

The former Minister who was a guest on a current affairs programme of BEN TV London berated the activities of people behind online news and social media. He accused them of deliberately masterminding and spreading falsehood and negative stories with the intentions of creating disaffection and strife among Nigerians.

He particularly noted that the recent online news and social media onslaught against the Minister of State for Petroleum, Emmanuel Ibe Kachikwu was an attempt to rubbish the good work the Minister has been doing within Nigeria’s petroleum sector. He stated that “Kachickwu’s efforts since being put in charge of the petroleum ministry have been unparalleled. The Minister has saved Nigeria billions of dollars which were hitherto being wasted and stolen by people managing the sector.”

Gbagi, while praising Kachikwu stated that the transformative work of the Minister in the petroleum sector has won him international accolades and helped Nigeria overcome many problems that have bedevilled the industry for a long time. He emphasised that “those behind the negative and blackmailing stories in online news and social media against the minister are the ones that have been made jobless and stopped from inflicting further and unnecessary pains on Nigerians.”

The former Minister explained that until faceless online news and social media bloggers are stopped, those whose corrupt behaviour crippled Nigeria will continue to use them to frustrate the change policies of the government.

He charged Nigeria’s security agencies including the DSS to investigate the sources and people behind the online falsehood against President Muhammadu Buhari, Kachikwu and other Ministers and individuals that are working to restore the pride and glory of Nigeria.