Fake News Fueling Insecurity in Borno, Says ALGON, as Youth Parliament Partners Local Governments on Information Integrity
Maiduguri — The Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON), Borno State chapter, has raised concerns over the proliferation of fake news and unverified information on social media, warning that the development is fuelling insecurity in the state. Dr Ali Yaumi, chairman of Magumeri Local Government Area and ALGON representative in Borno, made the assertion during a press briefing and media stakeholders’ technical alignment meeting in Maiduguri, organised by the Nigerian Youth Parliament, Borno State caucus, in collaboration with ALGON. The chairman said local governments in the state are taking the threat of misinformation seriously because they operate at the level where public trust is built and destroyed. He said the partnership with the youth parliament is designed to create a robust information verification culture at the grassroots, involving community leaders, traditional institutions and young people. According to him, local government councils are at the heart of development policy implementation and therefore cannot afford to ignore the toxic effects of false narratives on social cohesion and state security. The Borno State chapter of ALGON is aligning its communication strategies with the proposed Borno State Media Action Plan 2027–2031, which is being developed to provide a cohesive framework for tackling misinformation across the state. Yaumi said the rise of unregulated social media platforms has made it possible for anyone to publish content without verification, and this has serious implications for a state still recovering from insurgency and its attendant security challenges. The meeting was convened to align media stakeholders, government agencies and civil society on how best to respond to information disorder before it escalates into open conflict.
Yaumi explained that the proliferation of social media has dismantled the traditional filters that used to ensure only accurate and credible information reached the public. In the past, journalists and editors served as gatekeepers who checked facts before publication; today, he noted, anyone with a mobile phone can broadcast unverified claims to a wide audience within seconds. This has created an environment where malicious actors, rumour mongers and even ordinary citizens can inadvertently spread falsehoods that endanger lives. He said that in Borno State, where communities have suffered immensely from insurgency, displacement and humanitarian crises, a single misleading post can trigger panic, provoke retaliatory violence, or undermine military and police operations. Yaumi stressed that local governments must therefore become centres of media literacy and responsible information sharing. He said the proposed Borno State Media Action Plan 2027–2031 will provide the necessary policy direction for achieving this goal. The plan, he added, will guide the training of journalists, support community radio stations, establish fact-checking desks in local councils, and create communication protocols for emergencies. It will also set standards for how government officials, security agencies, and public office holders communicate with citizens, ensuring that official information is timely, clear and verifiable. According to the ALGON representative, local government councils are best suited to lead this campaign because they understand the languages, traditional institutions, and social networks that shape public opinion in their communities.
The Magumeri council chairman also stressed the importance of collaboration at all levels. He said the partnership between ALGON, the Nigerian Youth Parliament and community leaders will promote information verification before dissemination and will support the implementation of the Borno State Media Action Plan 2027–2031. Yaumi described the plan as a practical roadmap that will help communities distinguish between credible information and harmful falsehoods. He noted that unverified information thrives where there is a vacuum of trust, and that government institutions must work harder to earn the confidence of citizens. He said the approach will also involve giving communities ownership of the information verification process, rather than imposing top-down solutions. According to him, citizens should be trained to ask basic questions about any piece of news they receive: Who published it? Is the source reliable? Is there evidence? Has any official body confirmed it? Such simple steps, repeated across thousands of households, could drastically reduce the impact of disinformation. Yaumi further urged stakeholders, including traditional rulers, religious leaders, women’s groups and youth organisations, to treat fake news as a collective threat requiring collective action. He acknowledged that fake news is often designed to exploit emotions such as fear, anger and ethnic or religious prejudice, and therefore requires an approach that is both educational and community-based. He also called on media professionals to adopt higher ethical standards and to avoid publishing unverified reports, even in the face of competition for breaking news. The fight against misinformation, he said, is not a task for the government alone; it must be owned by every citizen who values peace and stability.
Yaumi also said the partnership with the Nigerian Youth Parliament is aimed at promoting more inclusive governance by bringing young people closer to government and ensuring that policies and programmes take their concerns into account. He said young people are not only the most active users of social media, but also the most vulnerable to manipulation through fake news. The collaboration, therefore, seeks to turn young people from passive consumers of information into active verifiers and advocates for truth. The ALGON chairman said the youth parliament will be involved in organising town hall meetings, school outreach programmes, media literacy workshops and community sensitisation campaigns across the 27 local government areas of Borno State. Through these activities, young people will be empowered to challenge false narratives and to report suspected disinformation to the appropriate authorities. Yaumi said the initiative will also create a platform for young people to engage with local government officials, present their concerns, and contribute to policy making. This, he added, will deepen democracy at the grassroots and ensure that the next generation of leaders is equipped with the skills to navigate the complex information landscape. He emphasised that inclusive governance goes beyond elections and political appointments; it also means giving citizens the tools to participate meaningfully in public discourse. By supporting the Borno State Media Action Plan 2027–2031, the partnership will contribute to a more informed, transparent and accountable system of governance, he said.
Earlier in the meeting, Akan Edet, a member of the Nigerian Youth Parliament representing Akwa Ibom, said the proposed Media Action Plan would provide a practical framework for addressing misinformation, rumours and harmful narratives affecting development, public trust and community cohesion. Edet said the media environment in Nigeria has become increasingly volatile, with social media platforms serving as conduits for all manner of unverified claims. He noted that misinformation can be as deadly as a physical weapon, especially in a state like Borno, where communal relations are delicate and where security forces are working to stabilise the region. He said the Nigerian Youth Parliament is committed to promoting fact-checking, responsible sharing and digital literacy as key tools in the fight against fake news. Edet urged the public to verify information before sharing it, stressing the need to establish its accuracy before dissemination. He said people must be willing to pause, investigate and confirm before forwarding any message to friends, family or social media followers. He described the proposed Media Action Plan as a welcome intervention that will set clear standards for media conduct, protect the integrity of the information space, and promote ethical journalism. He also called for partnerships between civil society organisations, technology companies and state institutions to detect and counter disinformation campaigns. Edet expressed optimism that Borno State, despite its challenges, could become a model for other states in Nigeria if the plan is properly implemented. He pledged the support of the youth parliament to the initiative and encouraged young people across the country to take responsibility for what they post online.
Also speaking, Fatima Bukar, a member of the Nigerian Youth Parliament representing Borno North, said the parliament had been engaging government institutions and promoting youth participation in leadership and decision-making through parliamentary sittings and motions on constituency issues. She added that the parliament, which has 109 members representing all parts of the country, was working to sustain its activities beyond its inauguration through regular sittings and policy engagements. Bukar noted that the youth parliament has already used its platform to draw attention to critical issues such as education, health, youth unemployment and community development. She said the fight against fake news and disinformation has now become one of the parliament’s priority areas because of its direct impact on national security. Bukar explained that the Borno State caucus is determined to ensure that young people are part of the solution rather than being used as tools by peddlers of false information. She said the collaboration with ALGON will allow parliamentarians to take information verification campaigns to the grassroots, where they are needed most. She also called on government agencies, traditional rulers and civil society organisations to support the Borno State Media Action Plan 2027–2031 with adequate funding and technical resources. Bukar said the plan will provide a clear roadmap for coordinating responses to misinformation across all 27 local government areas. She stressed that the success of the plan will depend on sustained commitment, political will and the active participation of every segment of society. The Nigerian Youth Parliament, she said, stands ready to work with all stakeholders to promote a culture of verification, transparency and responsible communication in Borno State and Nigeria at large.