MAIDUGURI, Nigeria – Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar, the Sultan of Sokoto, has caused a stir by describing social media as a “terrorist organisation” during his address at the seventh executive committee meeting of the Northern Traditional Rulers’ Council in Maiduguri on Tuesday, April 15, 2025.
The Sultan’s remarks come amid ongoing security challenges in Nigeria, particularly the recent surge in attacks on the Plateau and other regions of the country.
The Sultan emphasized the detrimental impact of misinformation and fabricated stories circulating on social media, which he believes exacerbate Nigeria’s already fragile security situation.
He strongly condemned the platform for spreading falsehoods that fuel instability, asserting that such narratives worsen the country’s socio-political challenges.
“What happened has happened. It can’t come and be through social media. That’s one terrorist organisation…social media,” Abubakar said.
“What they do… somebody will sit in his comfort zone and formulate stories and you will think that it is true. So, social media is a terrorist organisation that we must deal with.”
The Sultan’s comments point to the widespread issue of misinformation, particularly on social media platforms, which have been accused of fueling violence, unrest, and political instability in Nigeria.
In his statement, Abubakar called on Nigerian security agencies to take stronger action to address what he termed “this terrorist organisation.”
The Sultan also voiced concerns over the rising insecurity in Plateau and other parts of the country, describing the attacks as “worrisome” and urging for urgent attention.
This follows reports from Amnesty International, which confirmed that the recent attack on the Plateau resulted in the deaths of at least 54 people.
The rights group stated that hundreds of residents have been displaced and are living in fear of further violence.
