The federal government is calling on journalists and social media influencers to stop handing bandits and terrorists the publicity they crave. Irresponsible stories and the spread of false information can chip away at national unity, officials warned.
Minister of Information and National Reorientation Mohammed Idris delivered the message on Monday at the first Arewa Media Summit. The event was organized by the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Public Enlightenment, Abdulaziz Abdulaziz, and held in Kano.
“The media has an indispensable role in denying violent extremists the publicity they seek while promoting unity, resilience and hope,” Idris said.
He added that democracy functions when government stays transparent, citizens take part responsibly, and the media carries out its constitutional duties with professionalism, fairness and integrity.
The minister pointed out that the digital revolution has turned smartphones into broadcasting tools. Yet the same technology has sped up fake news and disinformation. That mix can destroy public trust and put national cohesion in danger.
Abdulaziz told the gathering that the summit grew out of a need to improve conversation among government, citizens and the media, built on accountability, responsibility and ethical standards.
Government, he said, must deliver timely and clear information. Citizens need to respond constructively. The media’s job is to connect leaders and the public with reporting that sticks to facts, balance and responsibility.
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Abdulaziz also pressed social media influencers to check every detail before they post. He said they must avoid material that fuels division, especially with the 2027 general elections on the horizon.
More than 100 APC social media communicators received training ahead of the summit on how to explain government policies and programmes clearly.
He used the occasion to launch the Gani Ya Kori initiative. It is a regional project inspection tour designed to draw attention to major projects carried out by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Northern governors, many of which have received little public notice.
Abba Kabir Yusuf officially opened the summit. He encouraged other states to copy his administration’s Special Reporters Initiative. Under the scheme, more than 150 youths have been placed across ministries, departments, agencies and the state’s 44 local government areas to improve government communication and public information.
