The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, raised concerns on Tuesday regarding the false portrayal of his comments about Borno State Governor Babagana Zulum, which he claims were distorted by purveyors of fake news.
Idris stated that he holds no personal animosity towards Zulum and expressed his dismay that a minor misunderstanding escalated into a significant conflict, with individuals taking sides on both ends.
This clarification was made during the second edition of The Spokespersons Summit, organised by the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Information and National Orientation in Abuja.
Idris’s remarks follow a statement from former Abia Governor, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, who expressed support for Zulum, asserting that it was inappropriate for the minister to downplay the severity of insecurity, particularly regarding the activities of insurgents in Borno State.
Recently, Governor Zulum had raised alarms about the precarious situation in his state after an explosion on the major road connecting the state capital, Maiduguri, to Damboa, resulting in the deaths of at least eight individuals and leaving several others injured.
In response to Zulum’s concerns, Idris was accused of suggesting that Borno was safe, contradicting reports indicating that security agencies were struggling with terrorist activities in the area—an assertion that angered the governor.
Zulum responded critically, labelling the minister as “naive” regarding the country’s security challenges.
However, on Tuesday, Idris lamented that he had become a victim of misinformation, which painted him unfavourably in relation to the governor. He remarked, “Lately, due to the lack of media literacy—the inability to analyse and contextualise media content to verify authenticity—public officers, and indeed the general public, have become increasingly prone to the cankerworm of fake news, misinformation, and disinformation.”
He continued, “I was at UNESCO discussing the menace of fake news a few days ago when someone sent me a link to something that has already gone viral in Nigeria. I thought it was one of the things that we see. Remember that I had gone there to discuss fake news, its impact and its ability to create serious problems for any society; I was at that time receiving my own share of what fake news could do. What began as a very simple commentary was turned on its head and I saw something else emerging.”
Idris pointed out that his own office’s efforts to clarify the situation went unheard, stating, “Not even the execution by my own office to ensure that people do the right thing by informing them that this is the actual thing I pushed out received audience. No one wants to listen. This tells you what fake news and disinformation can do. We have to watch that so it doesn’t tear this country apart.”
In his address, the minister urged spokespersons to continually refine their skills in assessing news articles, identifying potential biases, evaluating the reliability of sources, and implementing fact-checking mechanisms to effectively differentiate between accurate reporting and misleading content.
Idris also praised the President of NIPR, Dr. Ike Neliaku, for introducing the Information Ministerial Clinic, which allows Nigeria’s former ministers of Information to share their insights.
Dignitaries present included former Ministers of Information—Prof. Jerry Gana, Chief John Nwodo, Mr. Frank Nweke (Jnr), Labaran Maku, and Lai Mohammed.
Earlier, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, who was inducted as a Fellow of NIPR, emphasised the dangers of misinformation, stating, “In an era when misinformation can spread faster than facts and erode public trust, the necessity for honest, clear, and inclusive communication cannot be overstated.”
He added, “Too often, ‘public relations’ has been misunderstood as mere spin or propaganda, yet integrity in communication is the cornerstone of a thriving democracy. When practitioners and spokespersons adhere to ethical standards, they empower citizens to make informed decisions and hold leaders accountable.”
