By: Egungwu Chukwuka Benjamin
Social media has fostered the spread of pseudo information (infodemics) around the globe, specifically in Nigeria. I am referring to the false audio message that went viral on social media, indicating that President Muhammadu Buhari and the late former Chief of Staff to the President, Abba Kyari, were secretly flown out of the country for treatment. Later, different national newspapers in the country, like Business Day Newspaper, reported on their publication on 26th March 2020, "Buhari not flown abroad - Presidency…". The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina, debunked the news via his Twitter handle @femAdesina.
This is not the first time people have engaged in the dissemination of pseudo information on social media, especially via WhatsApp. Sometimes, someone might have correct information at hand, but when they settle in salons (beer parlors), beauty salons, marketplaces, etc., discussing with friends, the story might be diluted or overexaggerated, and that's how pseudo information/stories will be passed to another friend via social media, and it keeps spreading. Several times, the government has warned about the dangers of such acts. On 3rd April 2020, The Guardian Newspaper reported the caution by the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, on the spread of fake news and misinformation, stating that "in spite of repeated caution by government, it is distracting the fight against Coronavirus".
The social media, if used appropriately, is expected to serve as the voice of the mass (public), but today it's used by individuals who fabricate or twist stories to gain audience, popularity, and achieve their selfish interests. Currently, on Facebook, Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of IPOB, has been fueling the rumors that a man named 'Jubril' from Sudan was paid to present the presidential speech during this pandemic, claiming that that President Muhammadu Buhari is dead. Some claimed that a Nigerian comedian known for mimicking President Muhammadu Buhari, was the one used to in replacement.
All this information and claims have no strong backup and were not reported by any recognized media, so they're not credible but fake.
However, social media falsehood has caused a lot of damage to society (Nigeria) and is still creating more if not dealt with. During this pandemic, the federal and state governments ordered the lockdown of schools, business centers, and placed a ban on social/religious gatherings. Later, the lockdown was eased on businesses that render essential services so people can buy food to survive.
On WhatsApp, a fake press release claimed to be from the Ministry of Education circulated, stating that schools would be reopened on June 8. The Ministry of Education debunked the news. According to BBC Pidgin on 25th May 2020, they stated that "the Ministry of Education said they have not fixed any date for school reopening, and that the public should neglect all rumors on social media".
Social media falsehood can lead or cause damages like:
✓ Creating conflict/differences between religions.
✓ It can mar or tarnish the image of people, institutions, government, etc.
✓ It misleads or misinforms the public.
✓ Affects people psychologically.
✓ Creates ethnic crisis and ranting on social media and physically, etc.
However, it might be difficult to identify fake news from real ones due to sometimes fake news containing real/correct information to make it look real for people to believe. Here are some tips I have to give to individuals to identify fake news from real ones:
✓ Do not be fast to share information you get on social media.
✓ Check the creator or origin of the news. If you cannot trace it, forget sharing it.
✓ Check well on known authentic sites/media channels to know if they reported on the story; if they didn't, I don't advise you to share.
✓ When reading, look out for facts that make the story credible enough.
On 5th November 2019, the Nigerian Senate proposed an Anti-media bill. It was meant to allow the government to shut down the internet whenever they see fit. But to me, that's not the best solution because the freedom of the press and freedom of speech of citizens have been restricted/tempered with in a democratic system of government.
I believe the best thing to do is for individuals to avoid sharing fake news. They should take responsibility; anyone caught fabricating stories/misinforming the public and those helping in the spread of pseudo information should face the law. They should be sued for slander or libel, as the case may be.
However, I'm calling on the government to take this seriously by ensuring that any websites, social media pages, or accounts that engage in this act, the owner of the medium should be arrested and interrogated (questioned) before being charged to court to face punishment.
To the general public this should serve as a warning to perpetrators of such act to avoid spreading falsehood on social media even via any means. Apart from the punishment attached, lets consider the problem it might cause to the society and flee from such act .
“To the general public this should serve as a warning to perpetrators of such act to avoid spreading falsehood on social media even via any means. Apart from the punishment attached, lets consider the problem it might cause to the society and flee from such act”.
NB: This article was originally published on Nairaland on 26th July, 2025.