Facebook deletes multiple accounts linked to El-Zakzaky’s movement

Social media giant Facebook has reportedly removed hundreds of accounts, including pages and groups, linked to Ibrahim El-Zakzaky-led organisation, Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN).

Shelby Grossman, research scientist at Stanford Internet Observatory, earlier today, revealed this on Twitter.

According to the research scientist, the tech giant removed a total of 47 pages, 93 groups, 79 profiles, and 48 Instagram accounts linked to the group.

Before the removal, members of the group had sponsored posts, agitating the release of Sheikh Ibrahim El-Zakzaky, the IMN leader.

Recall that El-Zakzaky, since 2015, had been imprisoned by the government for holding a belief that the establishment of a republic along similar religious lines in Nigeria would be feasible.

Read also: Bullet lodged in El-Zakzaky’s skull, release him now, Falana tells Kaduna govt

Shelby Grossman, who confirmed the development, noted that Facebook pulled down the accounts be ause they were operated by fake users.

Shelby said: “Today, Facebook announced the removal of a network of accounts run by the Islamic Movement in Nigeria. My Stanford internet observatory team analysed the network before it was taken down.”

“The network was suspended not because of the content of the posts, but rather because the Facebook pages and groups were run by fake accounts. Facebook calls this coordinated inauthentic behaviour.

“The Facebook pages and groups advocated for the release of IMN leader Sheikh Ibrahim El-Zakzaky. The operation primarily originated in Nigeria, but there were some interesting connections to Iran.

“Five of the pages had administrators located in Iran & the network frequently linked out to HausaTv. com, which is tied to Iranian state media,” the researcher revealed.

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now