The Sokoto State Government has partnered with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) to combat misinformation and disinformation and promote peace and social cohesion in the state.
The state Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Sambo Bello-Danchadi, said misinformation could create tension, division and conflict among communities, particularly when false information is deliberately used to provoke ethnic, religious or communal sentiments.
Bello-Danchadi, who spoke while receiving a UNESCO delegation led by its Coordinator for Communication and Information Sector, Yachat Nuhu, said the rapid growth of social media and artificial intelligence had made it increasingly difficult for people to distinguish between genuine and fabricated information. He urged citizens, especially leaders and role models to develop the ability to critically assess information before accepting or sharing it.
Nuhu said the delegation was in Sokoto to engage stakeholders under UNESCO’s Media and Information Literacy initiative. She explained that the programme seeks to equip people with skills to access, assess, analyse, produce and responsibly share information. She said the initiative was particularly important during elections, when misinformation and disinformation could threaten peace and social cohesion.
Nuhu added that UNESCO and the Nigerian Government had recently launched the International Media and Information Literacy Institute in Abuja to support capacity building and research. She expressed optimism that the engagement with traditional and religious leaders, government officials and other stakeholders would strengthen their ability to identify and responsibly manage information, contributing to a more informed, peaceful and resilient society.
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