By Mustapha Bura
Social media are interactive technologies that facilitate the creation, sharing and aggregation of content such as ideas, interests and other forms of expression among virtual communities and networks. Various social media handles such as Facebook, WhatsApp and TikTok created content, especially sharing live videos on situations of the flood. In Nigeria, social media has served as an important tool in our society for the dissemination of information, to enhance human interaction and for collaborative purposes. However, for every technological advancement, there will be drawbacks resulting partly from misuse by users; examples of which include the peddling of false information, cyberbullying and threats, fraud, hacking etc.
The Maiduguri flood as a result of the collapse of the Alau Dam on 9th September 2024 led to the occurrence of the flood disaster at about 1:00 O’clock midnight, and therefore, most emergency Response Agencies such as the National Emergency Agency, State Emergency Management Agency and Non-Governmental Organizations, offices were closed. The only means to know the live situation is through social media platforms.
Nigeria has 23.84 million TikTok users and it is the fastest-growing social media platform in Nigeria. The majority of Nigeria’s Population (70%) are youths under the age of 30 and this category usually uses TikTok because they perceive other platforms such as Facebook or X (Twitter) as old or too technical to use. TikTok played a vital role in sharing live content and reporting flood situations such as trapped women and children. The contents enabled many emergency services agencies such as the Nigeria Fire Service, Nigeria Army, Nigeria Navy, National Emergency Management Agency, State Emergency Management Agency and Civil Society Organizations to provide emergency response.
Tiktokers also raised funds by contributing money among themselves and assisted the trapped victims by providing food especially bread and other basic human needs during the emergency. Tiktokers from other states such as Kano, Kaduna, Jigawa, Adamawa, Bauchi, Gombe and other Northern States also contributed and assisted the victims. Some tiktokers visited the state during the emergency and commiserated with the victims.
According to Reliefweb, Priority needs among affected people are food assistance, wet feeding (most people affected have lost stoves and cooking utensils), potable water, water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) facilities and safe shelters. There is also an urgent need for protection activities to reduce the risk of gender-based violence (GBV), and to protect separated and unaccompanied children, including tracing their families.
Drawing on existing resources, and in support of Government efforts, the UN and partners continue to ramp up wet feeding/ food assistance, multi-purpose cash assistance, water, sanitation, health care and other interventions to prevent outbreaks of acute watery diarrhoea and cholera. Nevertheless, additional resources are urgently needed. On the 14th of September, the UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Nigeria, Mohamed Malick Fall announced the allocation of US $6 million from the Nigeria Humanitarian Fund (NHF) towards the flood response in the state. This followed a high-level interagency visit to Maiduguri on the same day comprising UN heads of agencies, country directors of international and local NGOs, as well as donors, led by Mr. Fall. Borno remains the hardest-hit State in Nigeria in terms of the number of people affected by floods.
Despite the vital role social media play in Nigeria, The Nigerian Government try to regulate social media especially due to the misuse of the platforms by other individuals to create violence. Nigerian government’s attempt to regulate the use of digital platforms including social media platforms and curb its excesses, a Bill titled ‘’A Bill for an Act to Prohibit Frivolous Petitions and Other Matters Connected Therewith’’ was sponsored by Senator Bala N’Allah in 2015. This Bill, at the time, provoked diverse reactions from the public. An opinion of strong dissent in this instance was that the Bill’s intention was to infringe people’s right to freedom of speech, and an attempt by lawmakers to silence citizens from calling out the nefarious actions of those in government. The Bill was eventually withdrawn.
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