Religious leaders in Kano State have been urged to evangelise towards faux information and encourage data verification forward of the 2027 basic elections to stop misinformation from fuelling electoral violence and communal conflicts.
The name was made throughout a two-day workshop organised by ALKALANCI, a fact-checking and media literacy organisation, to strengthen the capability of spiritual leaders to establish, confirm and fight misinformation and disinformation.
The organisation’s Programme Manager, Bamas Victoria, stated the initiative was aimed toward equipping spiritual leaders with the talents to navigate the rising quantity of data circulating on social media and different digital platforms.
According her, the widespread availability of cell phones and web entry had made it simpler for people to create and flow into unverified data with out the editorial checks related to conventional media.
She famous that misinformation had prompted severe penalties, together with well being problems, deaths and communal conflicts, including that its potential influence on the 2027 elections made the coaching notably essential.
According to her, the organisation adopted a train-the-trainer method to allow contributors to share the data acquired with members of their communities.
She stated spiritual leaders have been chosen due to the belief and affect they command in society, stressing that fact-checking organisations alone couldn’t debunk false data on the velocity it spreads.
“Our objective is to build people’s capacity so that when false information circulates, they can recognise it, understand that it is false and avoid acting on it,” she stated.
Also talking, ALKALANCI’s Editor, Alhassan Bala, urged the general public to confirm data earlier than sharing it, whereas calling on journalists to uphold skilled requirements and keep away from publishing unverified experiences within the bid to interrupt information.
He additionally urged media organisations to ascertain devoted fact-checking desks or collaborate with impartial fact-checking organisations.
In his remarks, the Chairman of the Kano State Chapter of the Nigerian Council of Ulama, Sheikh Ibrahim Khalil, represented by Sheikh Abubakar Tofa, cited Qur’anic injunctions, notably Surah Al-Hujurat, verse 6, which directs believers to confirm data earlier than appearing on it.
He pledged the council’s help for efforts to deal with misinformation and disinformation within the state.
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