AN OPEN LETTER TO THE DEPUTY PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE, SENATOR BARAU I. JIBRIN (CFR, PhD, FCNA), ON THE NEED FOR LEGISLATION TO DE-INCENTIVIZE THE COMMERCIAL EXPLOITATION OF TERRORISM, BANDITRY AND INSECURITY IN NIGERIA’S DIGITAL SPACE
Dear Distinguished Senator Barau I. Jibrin,
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The Coalition of Northern Youth Assembly (CNYA), Kano Chapter, writes to respectfully draw your attention to a growing concern within Nigeria’s digital information ecosystem and to urge your office to champion legislative action aimed at addressing it in the interest of national security and public safety.
Nigeria continues to face serious security challenges, including terrorism, banditry, kidnappings and other forms of violent criminality. While the media and digital platforms play a critical role in informing citizens and promoting public awareness, the growing commercialization of insecurity-related content has created concerns that deserve urgent legislative consideration.
Today, digital platforms reward engagement. The more views, impressions, reactions, shares and interactions a piece of content generates, the greater the potential financial and commercial benefits for its creators. As a result, content centered on violence, fear and insecurity often receives disproportionate attention because it attracts public curiosity and emotional reactions. This creates an environment where national tragedies can become commercially valuable commodities within the digital marketplace.
Criminal elements seek not only to inflict physical harm but also to spread fear, gain notoriety and dominate public discourse. When digital systems financially reward the continuous amplification of violent acts, there exists the risk that the objectives of these criminal actors are indirectly reinforced through the attention economy. While many content creators and media organizations operate professionally and responsibly, there remains a growing concern that some actors may be motivated to sensationalize, repeatedly exploit or commercially benefit from insecurity-related narratives because of the financial and engagement incentives attached to them.
It is therefore our considered view that Nigeria should explore a legislative framework requiring digital platforms operating within its jurisdiction to review and restrict monetization and engagement-based incentives associated with content that glorifies, sensationalizes, exploits or commercially profits from terrorism, banditry, kidnappings and other violent criminal activities. Such a framework may also encourage platforms to examine algorithmic promotion systems that disproportionately reward the commercial exploitation of insecurity.
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We wish to state unequivocally that this proposal is not intended to hinder journalism, suppress public information, restrict legitimate commentary or undermine constitutionally guaranteed press freedom. On the contrary, a democratic society depends on a free and responsible press. Investigative journalism, security analysis, academic research, documentary reporting and other forms of public-interest communication must continue to enjoy full legal protection.
The objective of this proposal is not censorship but responsibility. It is not an attempt to prevent citizens from knowing about security challenges affecting the nation. Rather, it seeks to ensure that information relating to terrorism, banditry and violent crime serves its primary purpose of informing the public without creating incentives that may encourage sensationalism or the commercialization of fear and national suffering.
Distinguished Senator, as the Deputy President of the Senate and one of the nation’s foremost lawmakers, we respectfully call upon you to initiate and champion a bill on this matter and to facilitate broad stakeholder engagement involving media practitioners, digital platforms, security experts, civil society organizations and legal professionals to ensure that any resulting legislation remains balanced, constitutional and effective.
Coalition of Northern Youth Assembly, Kano Chapter, stands ready to contribute constructively to consultations and policy discussions that may arise from this proposal. We believe that addressing insecurity requires not only military and law-enforcement responses but also thoughtful reforms that examine the broader systems and incentives surrounding the dissemination of insecurity-related content.
We respectfully urge your office to give this proposal serious consideration and to work towards its introduction and passage as part of a broader national effort to safeguard public safety, strengthen social cohesion and deny criminal elements the unintended benefits of commercialized publicity.
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Yours faithfully,
Nworisa Michael
Chairman, Coalition of Northern Youth Assembly (CNYA), Kano Chapter
Info.cnya@gmail.com