By Leeman Ali-haidar
The Nigerian government has directed security operatives to track down and prosecute purveyors of fake news after a fabricated report about President Bola Tinubu firing key ministers circulated online.
The false story, first published by Phoenix Browser and later amplified on social media, claimed that the Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, the Minister of Defence, Mohammed Badaru Abubakar, and the Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, had been removed from office.
The Presidency swiftly denied the report, calling it entirely unfounded.
Bayo Onanuga, the President’s Adviser on Information and Strategy, condemned the spread of the misinformation, warning that it undermines both national security and media credibility.
Referring to a post by the pro-Tinubu group Renewed Hope United Kingdom on X (formerly Twitter), Onanuga called for immediate legal action against offenders.
“Security agencies must urgently take action against fake news websites and platforms, as well as the individuals who propagate these falsehoods without verifying the facts.
“Press freedom and free speech do not mean a license to peddle lies. Fake news is a form of recklessness that must be criminalised,” Onanuga said.
The crackdown signals the government’s hardening stance against misinformation, which officials argue has grown increasingly disruptive.
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