‘How We’ll Fight Misinformation’, Kaduna Female Islamic Scholars Speak After Alkalanci Training

A group of female Islamic scholars and teachers in Kaduna State have pledged to take the fight against misinformation and disinformation directly to their classrooms and communities following their participation in an Alkalanci Media and Information Literacy Training programme.

The scholars said they would begin integrating lessons on verifying information into daily activities at Islamiyya schools, describing the move as necessary to protect young people from the dangers of false and misleading content.

“We cannot keep this knowledge to ourselves,” one of the participants, Malam Khadija, said. “Our students are vulnerable. They spread information without thinking, they believe everything they read. That has to change and we are the ones who can change it.”

As part of their commitment, the scholars said they would dedicate a few minutes during regular Islamiyya lessons to teach students how to identify misinformation and question unverified claims before sharing them.

They noted that while the approach may appear simple, it could have far-reaching impact in communities where rumours and false narratives can quickly fuel tension and division.

The participants stressed that the fight against misinformation aligns with Islamic teachings, which encourage verification and caution before spreading information.

According to them, the training has helped translate those long-standing religious principles into practical tools suited for the digital age, where social media has accelerated the spread of unverified claims.

Beyond the classroom, the scholars also pledged to organise step-down trainings for other teachers, religious leaders and members of their communities in order to widen the reach of media and information literacy.

They explained that empowering trusted community figures with fact-checking and critical thinking skills would help strengthen resistance to harmful narratives and manipulation.

The female scholars further called for similar media literacy programmes to be extended to both Muslim and Christian clerics across Kaduna State, saying misinformation affects all communities regardless of religion.

“This is not a Muslim problem or a Christian problem,” one participant said. “It is a human problem. And we need every religious leader, every imam, every pastor, every teacher equipped to address it.”

The call comes amid growing concerns over the role of misinformation in worsening social and religious tensions, particularly in communities with fragile interfaith relations.

For the scholars, the goal was not only to teach students what to think, but to encourage them to ask critical questions before accepting or sharing information.

With their return to classrooms across Kaduna State, the teachers said they hoped to nurture a new generation of students guided by caution, truth and responsible communication.