DSS cautions against incendiary statements as 2023 elections draw closer

The Department of State Services (DSS) has issued a warning to Nigerians about hate speech, violence, and other polarizing behaviors.

This was put forward by the DSS spokesman, Peter Afunanya, during a media briefing in Abuja, on Wednesday.

According to him, the country was becoming more tense as a result of the next general elections in 2023, and Nigerians must avoid actions and utterances capable of inflaming the polity.

He said, “Nigerians, elections are here again, let’s shun violence, let’s play the game according to the rules. Do not be a thug; say no to violence.

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“Let’s rise and defeat violence, crime and sabotage against the peace of our nation. Nigeria is the only country we have, we must do everything to keep it united.

“We’re engaging stakeholders to help shun violence as election approaches. We’re engaging the media because you’re the gatekeepers and whatever you put out there is what the public consumes.

“Peace is very critical for the well-being of our nation, therefore let’s shun violence and ethnicity, let’s preach religious tolerance in the message we pass out,” the DSS spokesman appealed.

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