Enugu CP, Bitrus Giwa (extreme right), during the display of the weapons and other illegal items recovered from suspects at the State Police Command Headquarters, Enugu on Thursday. Photo Credit: Tony Adibe
By Tony Adibe
The Commissioner of Police, Enugu State Command, Mr. Bitrus Giwa has expressed disappointment over what he regarded as false or fake information/news.
Giwa emphasised that the frequency with which fake or false information was spread since the coming of internet and social media has become alarming, insisting that those creating and spreading fake news would be dealt with according to the law.
Giwa spoke while addressing journalists during his first media briefing at the Police Headquarters on Thursday, and advised reporters to always engage in responsible media practices. He was particularly angry with those who, he said, would intentionally spread information on the social media who, he said, are more prone to dishing out fake news without regard to negative effect of their actions.
Cautioning against the spread of false and malicious news, Giwa said that the police would not hesitate to pursue anyone found culpable of spreading false or fake news.
According to him, “Fake news is real and its negative impact on the lives and mental well-being of the citizens cannot be over emphasized. Therefore, I urge those responsible for creating and spreading fake news, especially on social media to stop forthwith, as such actions have serious legal consequences, and we’ll not hesitate to pursue anyone found culpable.”
“I encourage all journalists and netizens in Enugu State to engage in responsible media practice. Please verify information before posting or sharing any security-related content, particularly on social media.
“Your support and cooperation are crucial as we continue to intensify our efforts to combat emerging crimes in the state. We recognize the importance of the media in disseminating information in this digital age. However, the timing, purpose, and method of reporting security incidents must be carefully scrutinized to avoid causing unnecessary panic and creating a false impression in the minds of unsuspecting citizens.”
Giwa, however, outlined the various achievements of the Command since he assumed office about a month ago. He said that within the month under review, they arrested 228 suspects for various crimes that include kidnapping, armed robbery, rape, possession of illegal firearms and ammunition as well as cultism.
He said a break-down of the suspects showed that 44 are for armed robbery, 33 kidnapping, 12 murder, 6 for possession of firearms, 5 rape and defilement, 44 cultism and 149 for other crimes.
However, Giwa recalled that the Command was able to rescue 36 kidnapped victims, recover 44 firearms, 173 ammunition, and 20 vehicles. He reassured Enugu people to always volunteer useful information to the police to enable them gather Intelligence to help them smoke out criminal elements from their hideout in Enugu State.
