FG seeks global collaboration to fight fake news, misinformation

Minister of information and national orientation, Alhaji Mohammed Idris, says fake news is a global phenomenon that requires global collaboration to combat.
He said fake news is more dangerous than weapon and travels faster than any fighter jet, and can destroy nations.
Idris stated this Tuesday when he received the UNESCO feasibility team led by Nelson Papi Kolliesiah which is in Nigeria to assess the National Open University of Nigeria’s (NOUN) facilities for the establishment of UNESCO Category 2 International Media and Information Literacy Institute in Nigeria in Abuja.

The Minister said the citing of the institute shows Nigeria’s commitment to media literacy, calling on global community to come together to fight it for a stable society.
He said: “We do know that in this era of fake news, misinformation and disinformation. Media literacy is key in achieving a stable society.
“Fake news, misinformation and disinformation is not just a Nigerian problem, it is a global problem and we know the efforts that UNESCO is making to combat fake news. And we know that in Nigeria we have also had a fare share of the problem.
“Fake news is a dangerous thing, misinformation and disinformation can ruin society. It can destroy nations and relationships. Every nation that is desirable in having a stable society must collaborate to combat the menace of fake news.
“Fake news is more dangerous than weapon. It travels faster than any fighter jet, it travels faster than beyond all boundaries and doesn’t require visa to travel. Therefore, we have to know that to combat this menace, the entire global community will have to work together to fight it together. ”
The minister lamented that attempts to fight fake news in Nigeria is often misconstrued as attempts to fight press freedom and freedom of expression.
Idris said the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu takes the issue of press freedom and freedom of expression very seriously.
“The president himself being a beneficiary of press freedom will not in anyway stifle it. Indeed he has given us a matching order to ensure that the press which is free in Nigeria becomes even more free.
“All the obstacles that seems to be stoping the press from discharge its responsibility are being taken away gradually,” he said.
He however, noted that press freedom must come with responsibility.
He said Nigeria has decided to key into UNESCO guidelines to ensure that misinformation, disinformation and fake news are reduced to the nearest minimum, saying there is nothing that exist without order.
” We will work with UNESCO to ensure that this happens,” he said.
The minister disclosed that President Tinubu has approved all that the ministry requested for the establishment of UNESCO Category 2 International Media and Information Literacy Institute in Nigeria.

“As it is today, we have the right funding for the take off of the international media and literacy institute
“We also have the right resources in collaboration with the federal ministry of education and National Open University for the take off of the institute,” he said.