Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, on Thursday said the popular disc jockey, Obianuju Catherine Udeh, often referred to as DJ Switch, “will be exposed” soon for allegedly misleading Nigerians with her claims on the alleged shooting of unarmed #EndSARS protesters by soldiers at the Lekki Tollgate on October 20, 2020.
Mohammed said the Federal Government will not sit by and allow allow individual or groups to continue misinforming others with fake news.
The Minister made this known at a press briefing in Abuja conveyed to address lingering issues regarding the #EndSARS protests for police reform that shook Lagos, Abuja and other States last month.
He lamented that many Nigerian celebrities deployed the social media to circulate fake news during the #EndSARS crisis, noting that the Mohammadu Buhari – led government will not fold its arms and allow the trend to fester.
He identified Obianuju Catherine Udeh, fondly DJ Switch as one of the purveyors of fake news, dismissing her as a “fraud, a front for divisive and destructive forces.”
He said: “One of the purveyors of fake news was one DJ Switch which real name is Obianuju Catherine Udeh, even though she claimed authentic evidence of mass killings. Surprisingly, instead of presenting whatever evidence she may have, she chose to escape from the country on the claim that her life was in danger. In danger for who?
“The military has come out to say we never sought after her and to the best of my knowledge, the police never declared her wanted.
“Her conduct thus becomes suspect. Who is she fronting for? What is her real motive? Who are her sponsors? If she has any evidence, why is she not presenting such evidence to the panel? Since she was very desperate for asylum in any country, did she have to resort to blatant falsehood to tarnish the image of the country?
“In the fullness of time, this lady will be exposed for who she is, a fraud, a front for divisive and destructive forces.
“At this juncture, we want to appeal to countries that have made faulty judgements on the basis of fake news and disinformation emanating from #EndSARS crisis to endeavour to seek and find the truth.”
Lai Mohammed also berated CNN for its investigative report on the alleged Lekki Tollgate Shootings, dismissing the report as one – dimensional and lacking balance even as he threatened sanction at against the media giant.
