Abia state government on Monday warned residents against going to social media to “disparage” its officials or policies.

”You can no longer in this country go to Facebook and write what you think or feel to disparage somebody without knowing that there are laws concerning such things in Nigeria,” Anthony Agbazuere, the Chief of Staff to governor Okezie Ikpeazu said while addressing journalists at the Government House, Umuahia.

Mr Agbazuere said that it was disheartening to know that it had become a way of life for some persons to spread false messages to disparage Abia government and its officials.

The state government threatened lawsuit on critics, saying, “If you think what you are saying is right, then you must justify it on the basis of the law, or else the law will take its course.”

Mr Agbazuere said any form of “destructive criticism” would not be welcomed, promising that the state would take legal actions against critics.

According to the chief of staff, “In the spirit of new year, such people should be wary and refrain from unpatriotic, irreverent and debilitating conducts.

“Government shall be constrained to fully resort to extant laws against such uncharitable individuals except they purge themselves.”

The warning come days after a rights group petitioned the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences (ICPC) to investigate Speaker of the Abia House of Assembly, Chinedum Enyinnaya Orji, and former Attorney General of the State, Umeh Kalu, over corruption allegations.

(NAN)