Senator Ned Nwoko, the representative of Delta North, has renewed his call for the passage of the social media regulation bill, citing the spread of harmful online misinformation—including a recent false allegation that he paid to have his estranged wife, actress Regina Daniels, killed.
The bill, which Nwoko sponsors, passed its second reading in the Senate on March 18.
Speaking on Friday, Nwoko pointed to a viral TikTok video by a content creator known as *“liaroftiktok,”* who accused him of masterminding an attack on Regina Daniels. He said the incident highlights how “unregulated and reckless” Nigeria’s digital space has become. The creator has since retracted the claim, admitting that the accusation was fabricated as part of content creation.
According to Nwoko, the episode reflects a troubling trend where individuals make “very serious allegations” online solely to gain attention and views, often without facing any real consequences.
“This case and many others have clearly demonstrated the urgent need for the social media regulation bill before the National Assembly,” he said. “People cannot be allowed to lie for profit and then simply apologise after criminally defaming and harming others.”
The senator argued that the lack of firm regulations emboldens online creators to engage in what he described as “deviant behaviour,” and emphasized that social media platforms themselves must also be held accountable for the content shared on their networks.
“It is time for social media companies to be required to establish offices in Nigeria and take responsibility for what appears on their platforms,” he stated. “If landlords can face penalties for the actions of tenants involved in cybercrime, there is no reason social media companies should not be held responsible for allowing defamatory content to circulate.”
Nwoko further noted that traditional media organizations already adhere to defamation laws, questioning why large international technology firms should be exempt from similar standards.
He urged Nigerians to support the proposed legislation, clarifying that its primary objective is to require social media companies to formally register and maintain physical operations within the country.
According to him, the bill would help create jobs, promote technology transfer, improve tax collection, simplify legal processes involving digital companies, support law-enforcement investigations, and ensure that Nigerians’ data is stored locally rather than controlled by foreign entities.
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