Following the End SARS protests in Nigeria, the Global Amnesty Watch, GAW, and some right groups have alleged that some celebrities attempted to create anarchy using fake news.
The right groups claimed that some Nigerian celebrities and international Non-Governmental Organisations, NGOs, incited violence through fake news.
In a memorandum sent to the Lagos State Judicial Panel of Inquiry and Restitution with pieces of evidence, GAW named popular singer Falz, DJ Switch, Feminist Coalition, Burna Boy, Twitter founder Jack Dorsey and Nnamdi Kanu of being responsible for purveying fake news aimed at causing anarchy in the country.
The right groups called for the punishment of those named in misinforming Nigerians that led to a “near-breakdown of law and order” that accompanied the EndSARS protests, particularly in Lagos State.
The memorandum was signed by Abdulmalik Alfa, Werigbelegha Zinake, Linda Etafia and Sadiq Abdullahi on behalf of International Human Rights Protection Forum (IHRPF), Centre for Human Rights Advancement in Nigeria (CHRAN), Global Integrity Crusade Network (GICN) and Make Nigeria Better Initiative (MNBI).
GAW also fingered celebrities like “Folarin Falana poplarly known as Falz, Disc Jockey, DJ Switch, Feminist Coalition, Burna Boy, Twitter founder Jack Dorsey and Nnamdi Kanu of being in the forefront of this campaign to destroy the nation with fake news.”
“The EndSARS protest across the country is assumed in many quarters to be without a leadership structure. While this position has been canvassed in numerous quarters, however, there seems to be a link with regards to the provision of logistic support to the protesters across the country. It is instructive to state that the EndSARS protest was funded from a well-concealed network that raised over N75 Million from donations from individuals in Nigerian and outside the shores of the country through a group called The Feminist Coalition,” the memorandum reads in part.
They also absolved the military of “any wrongdoing at Lekki toll gate, Lagos or anywhere in the country.”
Recall that DJ Switch had accused soldiers of killing peaceful protesters in Lekki toll gate.