LAGOS – The Federal Government has cautioned media practitioners against spreading fake news, misinformation, and disinformation, warning that such actions could set the country on fire.
Minister of Information, Alhaji Mohammed Idris, gave the warning at the 2025 Lateef Jakande Annual Memorial Lecture held on Wednesday in Lagos.
Reports that the event was organised by the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE), with the theme, “Journalism and the Challenges of Nation Building in a Multi-Ethnic Society.”
Represented by Mr Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Information and Strategy, the minister urged the Guild to enforce professional standards to uphold the integrity of journalism in Nigeria.
Idris advised journalists to develop the habit of verifying and double-checking all information before publication.
“If journalists continue to spread fake news, one day it may set the country on fire. Fake news spreads fast, and its consequences can be devastating,” he warned.
“There are certain people in our profession, gatekeepers, who are there because they have a telephone, a smartphone and internet connection.
“We see them sending out fake news, fake information. Many of us here, we retweet or we reprint news in the social media.
“Yet, there are rules, don’t always retweet what you find on the social media.
“Therefore, we need to really enforce the rules that govern our profession. If we get any piece of information, check, and ask, is it correct? If it’s not correct, don’t produce it.
The minister, however, stressed that the nation could not survive without journalists, the press, and—most importantly—a free press, as they were all interconnected.
According to him, both the government and the people need to be heard, and journalists serve as the vital link between the two.
Idris expressed concern over the rise of individuals presenting themselves as journalists without upholding the core responsibilities of the profession.
He reaffirmed the Tinubu administration’s commitment to press freedom, anchored on the principles of truth, fairness, and accountability.
The minister added that the federal government would collaborate with the media to raise professional standards, promote media literacy, strengthen public communication, and “tell the Nigerian story in a way that inspires hope and galvanises action.”
Earlier in his address of welcome, the NGE’s President, Mr Eze Anaba, said the theme of the event was timely at a time when the country continued to grapple with foundation issues of justice, unity and identity in the nation building.
Anaba said the lecture was centred on national dialogue on how journalists could contribute meaningfully to bring about a cohesive society.
He said: “As journalists, we have the power to influence the narrative and promote national values.
“Moreover, we have a duty to ensure that our storytelling helps build a stronger, united, and more progressive nation,” Anaba said.
He added that the Guild would continue to celebrate Alhaji Lateef Jakande by promoting his legacy.
Also speaking, former NGE President, Mrs Funke Egbemode, urged media houses to make deliberate efforts to train and retrain journalists in order to uphold the integrity of the profession.(NAN)
