Fake News, Threat To Nigeria’s Stability – ICPC Chair

Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC), Professor Bolaji Owasanoye, said fake news is capable of threatening the stability of Nigeria.

The ICPC chairman stated this at an ongoing capacity-building training for journalists covering the anti-graft Commission.

He further said journalists must  understand the decision of the Commission if and when it decide not to divulge some information at its disposal as the Agency is constrained by law not to release certain details until a suspect is charged to court.

Owasanoye further stated that releasing such information to the public can slow down the process or affect the outcome of the case as some high profile suspects are smart enough to take advantage of such release to take cover.

Speaking on the essence of the workshop, the ICPC chairman said it was to close gaps identified in the reportage of anti-corruption efforts by journalists.

He advised journalists to avoid fake news and misrepresentation of anti-corruption efforts, adding that this threatens the stability of the state and livelihood of Nigerians.

According to him, “Another reason for this training is to hopefully improve the capacity at reportage so that the information does not become asymmetrical or misleading whereby things ascribed to the commission that we do not have the capacity to do or they are exaggerated on behalf or in favor of the commission, which then heighten public expectation.

“So this engagement will help us to report accurately in ways that do not exaggerate our achievements or under report our achievements. We also believe that this engagement will improve your own knowledge of the sector in various measures by which corruption can be tackled, not just by investigation and prosecution and how this is communicated to secure public support.”

Earlier, in his welcome remark, the director, Public Enlightenment and Education, ICPC, Mr Mohammed Ashiru, lamented negative publicity about the Commission in the past years.

He further called for good working relationship between the Commission and the media, stating that the ICPC has enjoyed good working relationship with the media in the last four years and this has changed the narrative about the Commission.