Nwoko Demands Tighter Regulation of Social Media After False Assassination Claim

Senator Ned Nwoko has decried the rising wave of misinformation online, pointing to a recent case in which a man falsely alleged that the lawmaker was attempting to harm his estranged wife, actress Regina Daniels.

In a post on X, Nwoko described the episode as another example of how Nigeria’s largely unregulated social media environment enables the spread of baseless and damaging claims.

He lamented that fabricating serious allegations simply to attract attention has become routine, noting that such actions inflict real harm on their targets.

Nwoko also insisted that social media platforms must be held accountable for hosting defamatory content, arguing that they cannot continue operating without consequences.

He reaffirmed his backing for the social media regulation bill before the National Assembly, which proposes that tech platforms register and establish physical offices in Nigeria as part of a broader accountability framework.

“The accompanying video trended a couple of days ago. It is a testament to the fact that the Nigerian social media space has become one of the most unregulated in the world. Laying very serious allegations have become a common trait to attract millions of views without recourse to the damaging effects on the people involved.

“Knowing that there could be evasion of consequences because they can easily prey on the emotions of Nigerians encourages this deviant behaviour. This case and many others have now clearly justified the urgent need for the social media bill in the national assembly.

READ ALSO: I Trusted Ned Nwoko With My S3x Tape – Regina Daniels

“You can’t lie to make money and turn around to apologize after criminally defaming and hurting people. It is time for social media companies to be mandated to open offices in Nigeria and to take responsibility for what they allow on their platforms.

“If landlords are being threatened with punishments for actions of their tenants who are yahoo boys, what stops social media companies from being held responsible for allowing defamatory content on their platforms?”

Nwoko argued that while local media organisations are bound by defamation laws, foreign social media platforms must also be compelled to operate under the same legal standards.

“All our local media houses comply with laws concerning defamation. Why make an exception for foreign companies that don’t pay taxes and ultimately avoid all manner of liabilities because of the absence of regulations?

“We must effectively be able to apply regulations, or there is no end to this. It’s Senator Ned today, who knows who is next?” he continued.

He called on Nigerians to back the bill, insisting that the time has come for social media companies to be held accountable for what happens on their platforms.

“Please support my bill on the regulation of social media companies, which simply seeks to get them to register in Nigeria and open their offices here”.

He noted that such a move would create jobs, enable technology transfer, generate tax revenue, and make legal action more straightforward.

“This will mean the following: employment for many Nigerians, technology transfer, payment of taxes, litigations will be easier and cheaper instead of suing them in foreign countries, they will also help in tracking bandits and other criminal activities and lastly our records will be domiciled here and not controlled by foreign countries who can use them to destabilize our dear country”, he concluded.