Fake News: Speaker Abbas, Minister, Al-Makura Task Journalists On Fact-checking

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Abbas Tajudeen has urged journalists and media organisation to strengthen coordinated fact-checking frameworks in the light of the growing threat posed by misinformation, disinformation and fake news, particularly through digital and social media platforms.

Abbass said these should not be isolated initiatives, but structured partnerships between major newsrooms, independent fact-checkers, civil society groups and relevant government institutions.

The speaker stated this on Tuesday at the
Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Council’s Press Week Lecture and Awards in Abuja.

He also called for the development of a national code of ethical conduct specifically tailored for digital journalism and social media reporting.

Abbas, represented by Hon. Dr. Patrick Umoh, member representing Ikot Ekpene/Essien Udim/Obot Akara federal constituency of Akwa Ibom State, said the 10th House is prepared to support such frameworks through formal collaboration, including integration with its legislative oversight functions and public information systems.

He said such partnership will ensure that citizens have access to verified, timely, and transparent information, especially on policy matters and electoral issues.

“I encourage the media to spearhead the development of a national code of ethical conduct specifically tailored for digital journalism and social media reporting. Such a code should provide guidelines on the responsible use of sources, AI-generated content, and anonymous reporting, while also safeguarding press freedom,” he said.

He stressed that no country grows through fake news and misinformation “because false narrative can destabilise institutions.

He said members of the 10th House consider themselves allies of the media and recognised it as partners in the democratic process as well as remained committed to providing the legal and institutional frameworks that support its growth and independence.

For his part, a former governor of Nasarawa state, Senator Umar Tanko Al-Makura called for a national fact-checking alliance to foster non-partisan collaboration between media houses and civic-tech institutions to combat disinformation ahead of the 2027 elections

Al-Makura also advocated the institutionalisation of journalists’ safety and insurance framework for the protection of media professionals, particularly those in conflict zones or on investigative beats.

He also called for the media innovation and sustainability fund, recommending that both government and private sector stakeholders must support digital transition, training, and sustainability for struggling yet essential news outlets.

Al-Makura further called for media literacy campaigns in schools and communities to empower citizens—especially the youth—to critically engage with media and resist manipulation.

“Journalism is more than reportage—it is the lifeblood of public accountability, the keeper of transparency, and the vessel through which democracy breathes.
At the heart of every democratic enterprise lies the well-being of the people.

“Democracy is only worthwhile if it safeguards lives, protects rights, and promotes collective prosperity. These aims cannot be realised without a responsible and unfettered press—free to question, free to probe, and free to tell the truth, even when it is inconvenient,” he noted.

Also speaking, the Minister for Housing and Urban Development, Ahmed Musa Dangiwa described responsible journalism and media practice as critical to deepening democracy.

“Journalism today operates in a landscape that offers both opportunity and risk. On one hand, digital innovation has made it easier to reach audiences, tell stories in real time, and expose worldview. On the other hand, it has also made the job more dangerous,” he noted.

He added that misinformation spreads like wildfire with rampant online harassment and highlighted that many journalists, especially women, face threats simply for doing their jobs.

“At the Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, we consider the media a key partner, not just in spreading the word about our programmes, but in helping us do better, whether it’s our work on the Renewed Hope Housing Programme, the National Urban Renewal Initiative, or our push to make housing more affordable to all Nigerians,” he said.

The NUJ FCT council chairman, Comrade Grace Ike said extraordinary shifts in the global and local media landscape is being witnessed, noting advancements in technology, rise of artificial intelligence, the deepening of social media influence, and persistent challenges of disinformation, censorship, economic pressures and threats to press freedom.

“In the face of these headwinds, you, our members have remained resilient, holding the line, telling the stories that matter, and ensuring the public’s right to know.

“Today, we pause to reflect on that labour, on your sacrifices, and on the many untold efforts behind every headline, broadcast, or byline.

“Yet, reflection must be followed by action. As a union, we must be more than spectators of change; we must be architects of progress,” she added.