Nigerian Efforts to Counter Misinformation as Security Crisis Deepens

Nigeria is experiencing a deepening security crisis marked by escalating attacks in the northeast by Boko Haram and ISIS, alongside widespread violence in the northwest, where armed gangs continue to carry out mass kidnappings. Rising tensions between herders and farmers in the Middle Belt states have further intensified clashes, adding to the country’s growing instability and fueling a surge of online misinformation.

Nigeria Faces Escalating Security Challenges

Following these clashes and rising violence, online claims began circulating alleging that Nigerian Christians were being targeted and persecuted on religious grounds. Right after, U.S. President Donald Trump threatened Nigeria with military action, accusing the government of failing to protect Christian communities, and subsequently redesignated the country as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC).

Nigerian officials refuted the U.S. President’s statement, arguing that it was based on outdated and distorted information that does not reflect the current situation in Nigeria. Observers emphasized that Nigeria’s security crisis is complex, affecting victims across religious and ethnic lines. 

Similarly, the African Union Commission rejected the claims of an alleged genocide against Christians, noting that such assertions oversimplify a far more intricate situation in which “terrorists attack all who reject their murderous ideology: Muslims, Christians, and those of no faith alike.”

The Nigerian President also stated his readiness to address the situation and to cooperate with the United States on security matters, noting the importance of protecting national sovereignty from external interference.

The Nigerian Minister of Information and National Orientation also responded to the U.S., rejecting the claims while acknowledging that the country faces significant security challenges. 

He stressed, however, that most attacks are not driven by religious motives. The minister added that the country is currently engaged in discussions with Washington to establish stronger security cooperation to address the country’s challenges “once and for all.”

As Nigeria tries to address these allegations, a group of gunmen stormed a high school in northwestern Nigeria just before dawn, abducting 25 schoolgirls and killing at least one staff member. Authorities reported that the girls were taken from their dormitories at around 4 a.m. on Monday.

That same day, the Nigerian President confirmed that a brigadier general had been killed by a terrorist group while in captivity, days after he was kidnapped by Islamic State – West Africa Province (ISWAP) militants during an ambush in Borno State that also claimed the lives of four soldiers.

News outlets also reported two violent attacks on Christian communities, as an armed group stormed a Pentecostal church in Eurku, Ekiti State, killing two people. In the second attack, militants attacked the Christ Apostolic Church in Oke Isegun, Kwara State, a key transit corridor between northern and southern Nigeria that has long been targeted by criminal groups and militias.

In a more recent development, over 200 children were recently abducted in one of the country’s largest mass kidnappings in recent years after the attackers struck St. Mary’s School in the Papiri community of Agwara District, Niger State, early on Friday morning, seizing 215 students along with 12 teachers, according to the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN).

The attacks reportedly prompted Nigerian President Bola Tinubu to postpone a scheduled trip to South Africa and Angola in order to receive security briefings and monitor developments in Kebbi and Kwara states. He later confirmed the cancellation of the trip to focus on the Nigerian pressing security concerns and assigned Vice President Kashim Shettima to represent him, leading the Nigerian delegation at both the G20 Leaders’ Summit in Johannesburg and the AU–EU Summit in Angola.

A Wave of Misinformation Surges in Nigeria

Following the attacks and clashes, misleading claims and stories began circulating online, which Misbar is actively working to counter. An old video, which Misbar investigated, resurfaced falsely claiming to show Nigerian soldiers and confrontations between the army and terrorist groups.

Additionally, another old video circulated, falsely claiming to show a Nigerian soldier named Musa M. being abandoned by his colleagues.

Another outdated video circulated, falsely claiming to show a Christian man, Nathaniel Samuel, confessing to planning a church bombing in Kaduna State, Nigeria.

The ongoing security crisis in Nigeria, marked by confrontations between armed groups, criminal gangs, and communities across various regions, has fueled a surge of misinformation. 

Amid a climate of uncertainty, claims of systematic attacks targeting specific religions or ethnic groups are fueling fear, hatred, and further violence. Such misleading narratives not only distort the reality of the conflict but also risk worsening the crisis and undermining social cohesion. 

The spread of misinformation can easily impact minorities and local communities, including vulnerable groups such as women and children, who are often the most exposed to attacks and violent incidents.

Nigeria’s Efforts to Curb Misinformation

Amid rising security incidents, the Nigerian Army has called for closer collaboration with media stakeholders to strengthen national security through strategic communication. 

This appeal was made during the Nigerian Army Civil-Military Cooperation Media Chat for the fourth quarter of 2025, highlighting the growing role of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in shaping public perception and engagement on security matters.

In his keynote address, Chief of Army Staff Waidi Shaibu emphasized that while ICT offers significant opportunities, it also carries risks, notably the rapid spread of fake news, disinformation, and propaganda.

He emphasized that malicious acts, such as the unauthorized disclosure of classified information and narrative manipulation by dissidents, pose serious threats to national security, a challenge that requires close collaboration between the Army and the media. 

The Chief also warned of the growing risks associated with AI-generated content and urged media practitioners to carefully verify information that “could undermine national unity” before dissemination, to prevent inflaming tensions.

Meanwhile, addressing ministers, media leaders, and senior policymakers at the D-8 Media Forum in Baku, the Nigerian Minister of Information and National Orientation, represented by the Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Press Council, called for stronger collaboration among Developing-8 (D-8) member countries to reinforce media systems, combat misinformation, and promote regional cohesion. 

The Minister also highlighted Nigeria’s homegrown initiatives over the past year, including the establishment of the UNESCO-backed International Media and Information Literacy Institute, which serves as a global hub for training, research, and digital safety, equipping journalists and citizens with the tools to counter misinformation.

Addressing misinformation amid armed conflicts and security crises requires a transversal multi-actor strategy that goes beyond the media, national authorities, the military, and public institutions. The strategy must also engage citizens, investors, students, and local communities to generate a collective response. 

While technical solutions are essential, misinformation is a complex challenge that also demands educational initiatives, legal frameworks, awareness campaigns, access to information, and the development of informational resources to build resilience across societies.

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