CCC flags 'Volatile compound sentiment': Fake news and insecurity shaping Nigeria’s 2027 pre-election climate — ITREALMS

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The Centre for Crisis Communication (CCC) has raised an urgent alarm over a dangerous convergence of escalating insecurity, political distrust, and sophisticated disinformation campaigns, warning that these forces are already aggressively shaping public sentiment ahead of the 2027 general elections, reports ITREALMS.

In its latest "New Media and Social Listening" analysis, the CCC revealed a turbulent mix of public emotions—ranging from deep grief over persistent security breaches to systemic anger at perceived leadership gaps. This phenomenon, which the Centre labels a “volatile compound sentiment,” is currently saturating Nigeria’s digital and traditional information ecosystems.

Igbo youth assembly debunks ‘Fake News’ alleging Ohanaeze President-General’s call to arms - ITREALMS

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The Igbo Youth Leaders and Stakeholders Assembly has issued a strong rebuttal following viral social media reports claiming that the President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, Senator John Mbata, called for armed mobilization among Igbo men, reports ITREALMS.

In a formal statement released on Sunday, February 8, 2026, and available to ITREALMS, the assembly dismissed the allegations as malicious propaganda and "fake news" specifically designed to blackmail the leadership of the apex Igbo socio-cultural organization and destabilize the South-East region.

Fake News: NGE tasks media houses on setting up fact-checking desks - ITREALMS

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The Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) has urged media houses to set up fact-checking desks to combat the spread of fake news, misinformation, and disinformation, reports ITREALMS.

This call was made at a one-day workshop organized by the European Union (EU) in collaboration with the NGE in Lagos.

CAS lauds GOCOP, tasks on fishing out fake news peddlers - ITREALMS

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The Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Hasan Bala Abubakar, has described online publishers as critical elements in the fight against all forms of criminality in Nigeria by virtue of their advantage of reach, penetration, speed and resilience.

He made this known while speaking at the 2023 7th conference of the Guild of Corporate Online Publishers (GOCOP) in Abuja.

Azuh denies fake news by Opera, Anchor, says both are two of a kind - ITREALMS

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The publisher and editor-in-chief of YES International Magazine, Mr. Azuh Arinze has described the duo of Opera News, and Anchor Network as den of fake news, over reports that he granted an interview with Mr. Peter Obi, the Labour Party presidential candidate in the 2023 general election, reports ITREALMS

Refuting a recent publication by Opera News and Anchor Network, Mr. Azuh said his attention was drawn to the "silly and unfounded publications by Opera News and Anchor Network about His Excellency, Mr. Peter Obi, which they attributed to me."

Alarmed! Some Nigerians in diaspora still rely on fake news says Lai Mohammed - ITREALMS

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The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed has been alarmed that some Nigerians in Diaspora are still relying on unidentified platforms that purportedly peddle fake news and misinformation about Nigeria, reports ITREALMS.

Alhaji Lia Mohammed

Mohammed in his remarks during the visit of members of the United Kingdom (UK) chapter of the Nigerians in Diaspora Organisation (NIDO) in Abuja, Tuesday, expressed shock that alleged fake news platforms still have the ears of diasporans.

'Biggest threat to 2019 is fake news' - ITREALMS

ITREALMS:

The Federal Government has described fake news and hate speech constitute the biggest threat to the 2019 general election, and appealed to states to join in the ongoing campaign to sensitize Nigerians to the dangers posed by the twin evils, reports ITREALMS.

The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, made the assertion in Kaduna on Thursday, during the official opening ceremony of the 47th National Council on Information (NCI).

''With the 2019 general elections just a little over 60 days away, there is no issue that is more relevant to the election than the issue of fake news and hate speech,'' he said. ''This issue transcends political party lines, religion, ethnicity, and even nationality. Left unchecked, fake news and hate speech constitute the biggest threat to the forthcoming elections.''

Alhaji Mohammed said fake news has the capacity to alter the course of elections and create legitimacy problem for the winner, citing as an example a report that said fake news helped to depress Hillary Clinton's votes during the 2016 US election, in addition to tainting the victory for the winner.

He also said hate speech was a catalyst in the 1994 genocide in Rwanda, which left at least 800,000 people dead.

The Minister said while the Federal Government has been unrelenting in calling attention to the dangers posed to the nation's peace, security and democracy, including through the launch of the National Campaign Against Fake News on July 11 2018, it cannot do it alone.

''The campaign against fake news and hate speech is not just a responsibility of the Federal Government. It is for all tiers of government. Therefore, I expect that the Honorable Commissioners who are here, and those who are not, will launch the campaign in their various states.

''The media will bear the brunt, if the people lose confidence in them because of fake news. This is why the media must lead this campaign,'' he said

Alhaji Mohammed described as 'very fitting and most timely' the theme of the meeting, which is 'Tackling Fake News and Hate Speech to Enhance Peace and National Unity'.

He urged the participants at the meeting to 'brain storm and evolve policies' that would comprehensively address the menace of fake news and hate speech.

Commissioners of Information from about 20 states are among the participants at the three-day meeting, which was declared open by Governor Nasir el-Rufai of Kaduna State, represented by his Special Adviser on Media and Communication, Mr. Muyiwa Adekeye

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Faulty sunglasses, fake news shut down a country - ITREALMS

ITREALMS:

Fake news about the dangers to Serbians from being outside during the 1999 solar eclipse resulted in the Government advising the country  to stay indoors, according to new research, reports ITREALMS.

Historian Dr Vladimir Jankovic from The University of Manchester says that virtually all Serbians hid in basements, air raid shelters and darkened rooms, while the rest of Europe celebrated the celestial event.

The fake news was also triggered by the reporting of the dangers of wearing faulty solar-eclipse sunglasses.

The media frenzy led to the release of an official health warning, warning the public they might experience severe itching, hypertension, palpitations and the need to urinate frequently if they stayed outside during the eclipse.

According to Dr Jankovic, one of the reasons for the doom mongering was an article in a small Serbian newspaper, which reported that faulty eclipse viewing sunglasses risked eye damage.

The newspaper discouraged the public from viewing the eclipse.

Other newspapers also suggested that the eclipse would be dangerous to the health of Serbians and even political fate of the worn torn country , says Dr Jankovic.

The reporting led to a Serbian media storm in the days leading up to the eclipse presenting the eclipse as a direct threat to human health.

The government controlled newspaper Politika urged everyone to stay indoors using sensationalist headlines such as ‘The Eclipse and the Apocalypse’.

Dr Jankovic’s paper is published in Social Studies of Science.

He said: “Although it seems absurd that the solar eclipse caused such panic, it’s quite understandable that Serbians, who had endured a decade of 'fear', 'terror' and 'non- normality' were particularly sensitive to the perception of risk.

“The Milošević government’s decision to release this false warning was, in part, a result of opinions formed by the behavior and beliefs of others, while paying limited or no attention to scientific evidence.

“It’s a salutary lesson for us all: the circulation of information today is more complex than ever with the ever-increasing numbers of news outlets and the appearance of social media.

“Fake news created a collective display of risk over-compensation in Serbia 1999, and ‘fake news’ continues to affect the decisions of people today.

“The circulation of information throughout modern day society is more complex than ever with the ever-increasing bounty of news outlets and the appearance of social media.

‘Understanding how information is propagated and received by society is critical to understanding collective decision making and an awareness of the trustworthiness of news sources could lead to a more honest, democratic society.”

He added: “The real risk of retinal damage caused by the eclipse was amplified through media hearsay and word of mouth to a point where the government felt compelled to take direct action.

“And that happened because of an atmosphere of fear and the heightened state of cautiousness of the Serbian people and its government at the time.”

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Lai Mohammed alleges fake news aggravated recent National Assembly crisis - ITREALMS

ITREALMS:

The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, has attributed the escalation of the recent crisis in the National Assembly (NASS) to the circulation of fake news, especially in the social media, reports ITREALMS.

The Minister stated this in Abuja when he paid a courtesy visit to the headquarters of Blueprint Newspapers, in furtherance of the Federal Government's campaign against fake news, which was launched 11 July 2018.

“When we launched the campaign, we did not envisage the kind of event that occurred at the National Assembly last week, specifically Aug. 7

- Less than one month after the launch. That event, during which the National Assembly was barricaded, is a classic example of how fake news can aggravate conflicts. In fact, it was driven all the way by fake news

''A serving Senator led the fake news onslaught, claiming that only APC members were being allowed into the chambers as a ploy to impeach the Senate President while PDP members were barred - FAKE NEWS! No APC members was in the chambers at the time!'' he said.

Alhaji Mohammed said but for the timely intervention of the Acting President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, the situation could have deteriorated and brought great opprobrium on the country.

He said that in the aftermath of the crisis, news that 21 billion Naira and assorted weapons have been found in the residence of the sacked Director-General of the DSS also turned out to be fake.

The Minister said fake news remains a clear and present danger to the nation’s unity and democracy, and indeed to the very survival of the country, adding that it cannot and must not be treated with levity.

He admonished Nigerians to always check the source of any news item before sharing it, saying"Don't share whatever you can't vouch for.”

Alhaji Mohammed stressed the need for the media to take the lead in the campaign against the phenomenon of fake news which, he said, has the capacity to erode the credibility of the media.

He said the visit to the corporate headquarters of the Blueprint was to enlist the newspaper's support for the campaign against fake news as well as to thank the news medium for not allowing its platform to be used to spread fake news.

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FG beckons online publishers: Don't lend your platforms to fake news - ITREALMS

ITREALMS:

The Federal Government (FG) has beckoned on the online publishers across the country to avoid lending their platforms for fake news to thrive, reports ITRealms.

The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, made this appealed  on behalf of FG to Online Publishers in Lagos on Tuesday, saying the spread of fake news paves the way to lose credibility if their publications are identified with fake news.

Speaking during an interaction with online publishers and social media influencers in Lagos on Tuesday, in furtherance of the National Campaign Against Fake News which was launched by the Federal Government in Abuja 11 July 2018.

''Your credibility, and indeed your source of livelihood, is at stake. If the society loses confidence in the media, especially social media, because of fake news, you will be the worst hit. And we are very close to that point now.

''Today, nobody knows what to believe anymore. You read something online, and within a few hours, it is denied. The fake news epidemic is spreading fast,'' he told the publishers.and the influencers.

Alhaji Mohammed urged the publishers to lend their support to the campaign, just like the traditional media has done, saying: ''A starting point is for you to put a banner on your various platforms that says: SAY NO TO FAKE NEWS! Of course, a platform that abhors fake news will not engage in one.''

He also appealed to Nigerians to do two simple things: Before sharing that information on Facebook, Twitter or WhatsApp, ask how credible the source is, and Don't share any information for which you can't vouch.

''The war against fake news is a must-win. As a multi-ethnic, multi-religious nation, Nigeria cannot afford an unbridled spread of fake news. This phenomenon is exploiting our fault lines to aggravate the crises in the country,'' the Minister said, adding that the government will neither resort to coercion nor censorship in the

campaign.

He said the fake news phenomenon has exacerbated the crises in the country, citing a recent BBC report that says fake news circulating in the social media is fuelling the farmers-herders crises in Nigeria.

''Gory pictures from other lands are circulated freely via Facebook, WhatsApp and Twitter, purportedly being from the killings in Benue or Plateau States,'' Alhaji Mohammed said.

The National Campaign Against Fake News is aimed at sensitizing Nigerians to the dangers posed to the peace and security, democracy, and indeed the corporate existence of Nigeria by an unbridled spread of false information.

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Pix: Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed (middle); Special Assistant 1 to the President on Information and Culture, Mr. Segun Adeyemi (left), and the Special Assistant 2 to the President on Information and Culture, Mr. Williams Adeleye (right) when the minister met with Online Publishers and Social Media Influencers on the Campaign Against Fake News in Lagos on Tuesday.

Fake News worries FG, prepares IOs

ITRealms:

The Federal Government is seemingly worried over the menace of fake news, and is preparing the Information Officers (IOs) on how to effectively counter this effect with fact-based narratives, reports ITRealms.

The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, made this disclosure in Abuja Wednesday in his key note address at a capacity building Workshop for Strategic Communication Liaison Officers, with the theme "Mainstreaming Strategic Communication Across Government for National Security."

He said though the Social Media has proved to be a powerful tool of public communication, it is plagued with challenges, particularly the prevalence of fake news which makes it imperative for Information Officers to brace up and overcome the challenge.

''Faced with the prevalence of fake news, we took action by preparing Information Officers with the skills to identify and counter such fake news through engagement and counter narrative. Information Officers are assigned to monitor both online and offline news media to identify such fake news and develop timely and credible counter narratives to respond to such fake news,'' Alhaji Mohammed said.

He said the Federal Government is also implementing a robust strategic communication framework, with feedback mechanism, to interface with Nigerians on the policies and programmes of government.

"For example, we engage through Town Hall Meetings across the six geo-political zones to inform Nigerians and the international community about our programmes and to listen to criticism, feedback and advice from the citizens.

''Through these meetings, we are able to shape policy and improve on delivering our promises to the people. The town hall meetings, undoubtedly, have yielded positive results with the kind of direct feedback we received from Nigerians. These interactions with Nigerians underscore the importance this administration attaches to the people in carrying them along in the task of governance," the Minister said.

He underscored the critical role of Information Officers in strengthening government communication to achieve national strategic objectives, particularly in managing the image, reputation and promoting the cultures of the people of Nigeria through a dynamic public information system.

He said because of the dynamics of public communication, ''the ministry is leveraging on various Social Media platforms like Facebook, WhatsApp, Skype, Twitter and Instagram to reach our audiences, especially the youths. These Social Media platforms also provide unique opportunity for the Ministry to aggregate and gauge public opinions and perceptions of government."

The National Security Adviser, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary, Special Services, Ambassador Aminu Nabegu, challenged participants to come up with a strategic communication plan to counter the propaganda and negative narratives by terror and anti-state groups.

He said the present administration has eliminated inter-agency rivalry in order to achieve seamless and coordinated approach to effective communication.

The Workshop was organized by the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) and the Nigeria Stability and Reconciliation Programme (NSRP) to build the capacity of Strategic Communication Liaison Officers (SC/LO) across Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs),

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Communication Managers warned to take social media seriously over fake news

ITRealms:

Communication Managers under the aegis of World Communications Forum (WCF) have been cautioned to be cautious of social media by taking this industry subsector seriously due prevalent of fake news, reports ITRealms.

Giving this caution, at the 2017 World Communications Forum held in Geneva, Switzerland and Development Expert, Mr Michael Bociurkiw, said that its high time chief executive officers of communication outfits across the world have to take social media seriously by way of helping to monitor their clientele reputations.

“CEOs of companies, who refuse to spend on social media, social media strategy, and crisis communications, do so at their own peril,” he declared, stressing that monitoring is required 24/7.

He pointed out that at this era, company's reputation is everything because it takes years to build a trusted brand but minutes and even seconds to bring it down.

“Don't allow a gap in communications to allow others to do the speaking for you” he said.

Bociurkiw pointed out that the challenge of fake news has become a subject of communications front burner, reiterating that in the current communications environment clients expect their consultants to be decision-makers.

“However, social media now requires quick decisions in the middle of the night, thus encouraging Communications practitioners and Chief Executive Officers to embrace Social Media as much as they can,” he said.

According to him, information is fast food, because today people consume 87 per cent more information than 30 years ago.

“In the past 4 months the communications environment has changed completely, now communications wags the tail of diplomacy,” he said.

Also, he admitted that fake news is a danger to democracy and could easily become hate speech, and that large new media companies such as FaceBook have been slow to introduce policies/tools to combat. Just as he highlighted this as one of the challenges of the social media, in spite of its numerous advantages, and hopes there will be a solution to this, as he upholds the use of social media in the 21st century.

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