Governor Bello Mohammed Matawalle of Zamfara State has cautioned media practitioners to avoid spreading fake news, saying its destroys beyond Imagination.
The Governor gave the warning while speaking at the first Preelection lecture of the Correspondents’ Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Zamfara State Council, ahead of the chapel’s 2021 election on Saturday.
The topic of the lecture was; ‘Effect of Fake News on Security’.
The governor who was represented by the Special Adviser on Security, DIG Mamman Tsafe (Rtd) described fake news as a lethal bomb that can can destroy beyond imagination and therefore urged the media to avoid it for the development of the society.
“Fake news is a bad omen for the society which must be avoided by the media in order not to cause confusion and violence in the society.
“Fake news is one of the aggravator of the current insecurity being face in Zamfara state and other parts of Nigeria and indeed the world at large.
“I implore you as trained journalists not to start or share news items which is not verified as such news might be fake and this can lead to lost of lives and property of the people,” he warned.
Also speaking, the Dean Student Affairs, Federal University, Gusau, Professor Muhammad Lawal Mayanchi described fake news as false, misconceived and misleading information tendered as news which in most cases is used as deceptive tactics.
He added that fake news are at most times invigorated, spread or enforce by tribal, religious and territorial forces or affiliation to cause political or security havoc.
Prof. Mayanchi added that fake news are created or formulated to deceive readers or viewers.
Earlier, the Chairman of the Correspondents’ Chapel Election Committee, Comrade Ibrahim Kanoma said the preelection lecture was to educate journalists and the public about the dangers of fake news particularly on security.
“We believe that to curb insecurity fake news must be avoided totally as it is responsible for most of the violence in the society,” he said.
The lecture was attended by security agencies, politicians and Zamfara state political appointees among others.
