A journalist and PR consultant, Lekan Fatodu has led anti-fake news and anti-blackmail protesters to the newly opened office of online news agent, SaharaReporters, in Lagos.

Recall that Fatodu got the online medium’s publisher, Sowore Omoyele, arrested in January 2017 for allegedly threatening Fatodu’s life, criminal defamation and blackmail.

But Publisher of SaharaReporters, Omoyele said everyone is entitled to protest, adding that some powerful people had always been against the online news portal, alleging that Fatodu was being sponsored.

Addressing the crowd during the protest, Fatodu said it had become absolutely necessary to raise serious awareness on the danger of fake news which he said was not only bad for the health of the nation but also troubling for the well-being of the populace.

“It should be very well stated that this is the first anti-fake, anti-blackmail and cyberbullying campaign in Nigeria. And there’s no better time to speak in loud voice on the grave danger of the trend of fake news than this critical moment.

“If you notice, countries of the West that are well advanced are disturbed by this and are working on how to hinder the advancement of the ugly phenomenon.

“Therefore we in this part of the developing world should be more worried. And we don’t need to wait for the government on how to tackle this dangerous development. Consequences of fake news are as bad for the health of the nation as they are bad for the general well-being of the populace.

“Also, this location which is part of the route for this walk is symbolic because the building we are looking at 13B Isaac John GRA Ikeja is the office of SaharaReporters, the headquarters of fake news in Nigeria which is run by the most notorious blackmailer in the history of Nigeria, Sowore Omoyele.

“It was inside that building I got Sowore arrested in January and the case is still in Panti police station.

“I’m leading this critical discussion because I’m a lucky survivor of Sowore’s malicious fake news, criminal blackmail and violence. So I believe with this effort we can attract more critical stakeholders to join the conversation and save many other innocent souls from destructive news peddlers, and thereby deepen peace and order in the society”.