Chief of Army Staff Femi Gbajabiamila was ridiculed on social media Friday for endorsing President Bola Tinubu’s plan to regulate social media amid the country’s economic crisis. The criticisms caused him to trend for hours on Twitter, now known as X.

Netizens excoriated Mr Gbajabiamila and his principal for not prioritising poverty alleviation, particularly when the cost of living crisis appeared dire.

On Thursday, Mr Gbajabiamila disclosed at a book launch that social media had become a “societal menace” that must be regulated due to the “great danger” it posed.

For this statement, Nigerians in droves accused Mr Gbajabiamila of attempting to clip the same wings that brought him to power and asked him to channel his focus on ending soaring inflation and the high rate of abductions in the nation.

“Femi Gbajabiamila seems to be tone deaf or just dancing to the tune of Baba Balablu. Inflation has reached its height figure in our history; hunger and starvation is (sic) everywhere, but the social media that millions of people use as an escape from the pure sadness that the APC government has caused is what they want to regulate again. Na thunder go fire all of una,” @BarcaPrincipal wrote on X Friday morning.

“So now Femi wants to regulate the same social media the APC used as a tool to destroy Goodluck Jonathan?” @sports_Doctor2 queried. “And what exactly is the role of Femi Gbajabiamila? Is he aware he’s just the “Chief of Staff”, an appointed role? What’s with this “Imposter Syndrome? Social media must be regulated” my foot!!!”

Also, an X user, Comrade Abiyos Roni, wrote: “My message to Femi Gbajabiamila. Before regulating social media in Nigeria, I urge you to use the same energy to regulate poverty, unemployment, inflation, food security and foreign exchange.”

Another user, @UnlimitedEniola, wrote, “It was Desmond Elliot, now it’s Femi Gbajabiamila calling for social media regulation as if we are in Iran, Saudi Arabia or North Korea. Social media is not the problem but bad governance and poor leadership.”

Also criticising Mr Gbajabiamila’s call for social media regulation, @officialIkenna wrote, “SOCIAL MEDIA IS NOT YOUR PROBLEM; he (Gbajabiamila) wants to clip the wings of the same social media that they used as a tool to get to where they are, face your work and leave social media. Stop misplacing your priorities. Do better.”

User @ChrisOkpokiri referred to Mr Gbajabiamila’s past in the U.S., where his law licence was revoked over corruption and ethical lapses that violated the rules of the American bar.

“What else do you expect from a criminal that escaped with clients money to Nigeria?” wrote user Okpokiri.

Rukky Nate on X upbraided the chief of staff for handling social media like an opposition party, asserting that he neglected pressing issues to favour social media regulation.

“The prices of this morning are no longer the prices of this evening. But Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Femi Gbajabiamila’s problem is how to gag and regulate social media — the only opposition party in Nigeria,” @Rukky_Nate wrote.

“Femi Gbajabiamila is more concerned with regulating social media. So social media is now the bandits? Or those kidnappers in the country? Sigh,” @ChiksEricE opined.