Stakeholders advocates responsible information sharing across Borno
By Ahmed Ahmed
Stakeholders in Borno on Tuesday called for responsible information sharing and improved media literacy to check the spread of misinformation and disinformation, strengthen public trust and promote peace and development across the state.
The stakeholders made the call at a two-day consultation on Media and Information Literacy in Maiduguri, organised by the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON), in collaboration with the Nigeria Youth Parliament (NYP), Borno State Caucus.
Hon. Fatima Bukar Lamisula, Lead Convener of the consultation, said the rapid flow of information through social media and other digital platforms had made responsible communication increasingly important in building informed and resilient communities.
She said a rumour could spread across communities within seconds, creating fear and distrust before accurate information had the opportunity to respond.
According to her, misinformation can divide communities, undermine confidence in institutions and negatively affect development efforts.
Lamisula said the consultation was convened to contribute to the development of the Borno State Media Action Plan (2027–2031), which is expected to provide a strategic framework for strengthening media and information literacy across the state.
She said the initiative brought together representatives of the state’s 27 Local Government Areas, government institutions, media organisations, civil society groups, youth and women organisations, traditional and community leaders, academics and development partners.
The Lead Convener urged participants to develop practical recommendations that would address information challenges at the community level and ensure that the outcome of the consultation translated into concrete action.
She particularly emphasised the role of young people, describing them as major consumers and producers of information in the digital space.
Lamisula said young people should not only be recipients of policies but should actively participate in developing solutions to the information challenges confronting their communities.
Also speaking, Mr Abdulkareem Haruna, Chairman, Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Borno State Council, urged residents to verify information before sharing it.
Haruna said journalists, digital content creators and social media users had a responsibility to ensure that the information they disseminated did not fuel fear, hatred or division.
He encouraged information users to adopt a “pause before share” approach by checking the source and credibility of information before forwarding or publishing content.
Haruna also advocated peace journalism and constructive reporting that would highlight community resilience, development and efforts toward rebuilding Borno.
The consultation is expected to generate recommendations for the Borno State Media Action Plan (2027–2031), with emphasis on responsible information sharing, media literacy, civic participation and social cohesion.
