The Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution (IPCR) and the Building Blocks for Peace Foundation (BBFORPEACE) have called on Nigerian youth to take action against the rising tide of hate speech in the country.
This appeal was made during a two-day training of trainers on combating hate speech online and offline, held in Abuja.
The training, supported by the Nigeria Youth Futures Fund (NYFF) coordinated by LEAP Africa, brought together over 20 young participants from the six Area Councils in the Federal Capital Territory.
Dr. Joseph Ochogwu, the Director General of IPCR, stressed the importance of empowering youth and utilizing technology positively to shape the desired Nigeria. He urged the participants to intensify their efforts in addressing hate speech.
Mr. Rafiu Lawal, the Executive Director of BBFORPEACE, highlighted the detrimental effects of hate speech and harmful narratives, such as disinformation, fake news, and ethnicphobia, on societies, including Nigeria. He emphasized the urgent need for stakeholders to collaborate in tackling this menace.
