By Christiana Ekpa
The President of the Nigeria Union of Jour nalists (NUJ), Comrade Alhassan Yahaya, on Friday led National Officers as well as FCT Council executives of the union on a courtesy visit to the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris.
Comrade Yahya reaffirmed the union’s commitment to working with the Federal Government in promoting professionalism and countering misinformation in the media space.
During the high-level engagement, held at the Minister’s office in Abuja, Alhaji Yahaya congratulated the Minister on his appointment and expressed appreciation to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for appointing a seasoned media professional to head the ministry. He also briefed the Minister on upcoming activities lined up to mark the NUJ’s 70th anniversary, for which the Minister is billed to serve as Chief Host.
The NUJ President assured the Ministry of the union’s readiness to collaborate in showcasing the achievements of the current administration and safeguarding the integrity of journalism in the digital age.
In his remarks, the Minister, Alhaji Mohammed Idris expressed concern over the rising misuse of Artificial Intelligence (AI), particularly deepfake technologies, to create misleading content aimed at discrediting public officials and destabilising public trust.
“You could be sitting right here, and someone could superimpose another person’s head onto your body, completely misrepresenting you,” the Minister said, citing the danger of AI-driven misinformation.
He lamented that deepfake videos have damaged reputations and traumatised families by portraying individuals in false and scandalous circumstances. He emphasised the Federal Government’s ongoing collaboration with UNESCO to sanitise the social media space while preserving freedom of expression.
According to him, UNESCO has received over 10,000 submissions from more than 100 countries and has developed a global guide to assist digital content creators in maintaining online credibility.
The Minister called on the NUJ to be at the forefront of the fight against fake news and misinformation, stressing the importance of purging quacks from the journalism profession and encouraging ethical conduct among citizen journalists.
He also announced the establishment of a UNESCO-approved Category 2 Media and Information Literacy (MIL) Institute in Nigeria—the first of its kind globally. The institute, he noted, will equip journalists, students, and the public with critical thinking skills to responsibly engage with digital content.
While congratulating the NUJ on its 70th anniversary, the Minister reaffirmed the Tinubu Administration’s dedication to media freedom, describing it as essential to the growth and consolidation of democracy in Nigeria.
The visit concluded with mutual assurances of continued collaboration between the Ministry and the NUJ to advance ethical journalism and combat emerging threats in the information landscape.
The Nuj President’s entourage included the Deputy National President, Comrade Abimbola Oyetunde, National Secretary, Comrade Achike Chude, National Treasurer, Victor Ndukwe, National Financial Secretary, Samuel Dada, Vice President Zone D, Adeiza Momoh, his Zonal Secretary Dauda Mohammed and the Chairman FCT Council, Grace Ike, as well as her Executives.
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