Nigeria, according to Lai Mohammed, the minister of culture and information, is safer than it has been in recent years.
Mohammed made the remarks during a ministerial panel discussion at the ongoing UNESCO media and information literacy week in Abuja on Tuesday.
Speaking about the recent terror alert issued by the United States and the United Kingdom, the minister stated that the warning has caused panic, adding that it does not accurately reflect the country’s security situation.
He also accused the media of using the news to generate clicks.
“Some media outlets and social media personalities are usually caught spreading unverified information on their platforms just for clickbait and the attendant monetary gain,” he said.
“Talking of clickbait, this may be what informed the spread of the supposed security alert issued recently by some foreign embassies in Nigeria. One would imagine that if indeed this kind of security alert was issued, it was for the attention of citizens of the issuing countries in Nigeria.
“Suddenly, this alert found its way into the media, both new and traditional, thus creating panic in the polity. Schools were shut; businesses were closed; travel plans were altered; lives were disrupted. No one cared to find out about the authenticity of these alerts.
He stated that the threat of disinformation to national and global peace and stability is obvious, and that people must work together to combat the scourge of disinformation.
