Kaduna Officials Warn Misinformation, Hate Speech Threaten Fragile Peace

KADUNA, Nigeria – Kaduna State authorities warn that misinformation and hate speech spreading on social media could reignite deadly communal violence if left unchecked.

Speaking at the Executive Peace Roundtable in Kaduna on Saturday, the Commissioner for Information, Ahmed Maiyaki, urges stronger collaboration between government institutions, media organisations and civil society groups to curb the spread of harmful narratives online.

The roundtable forms part of the Delimi PROSPER Project, an initiative supported by the United Kingdom’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office through its Strengthening Peace and Resilience in Nigeria programme.

Maiyaki says Kaduna’s history shows how inflammatory propaganda and false reports can quickly escalate tensions into violent conflict.

“Propaganda and incendiary messages once circulated widely across media platforms and contributed directly to violent crises in our communities,” he tells participants.

He recounts a recent incident where a viral social media message falsely warned travellers against entering Kaduna due to an alleged security crisis that never existed.

“That post created fear and confusion despite the fact that there was no such crisis,” Maiyaki says.

The commissioner also raises concern over widespread confusion about the differences between misinformation, disinformation and malinformation, noting that even some journalists struggle to distinguish the terms.

“Stakeholders must deepen their understanding of how harmful content spreads and how it can be responsibly countered,” he says.

Maiyaki further calls for closer cooperation between peacebuilding initiatives and the Ministry of Education, particularly for programmes targeting young people.

According to him, documentaries, podcasts and digital content created by youth groups must be carefully guided to prevent reinforcing ethnic or religious divisions.

“Without proper guidance, well-intentioned initiatives can unintentionally deepen existing social fault lines,” h.e warns.

The Delimi PROSPER Project is implemented by Search for Resilience and Development, a peacebuilding organisation working to strengthen community cohesion across conflict-prone areas in northern Nigeria

About the Author

Chukwu Obinna

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Chukwu Obinna holds a B.Sc. in Microbiology and is currently undertaking his internship with Africa Health Report (AHR). He is gaining hands-on experience in health reporting, research, and community development stories across Nigeria and Africa, with a passion for evidence-based storytelling and public interest journalism. X (Twitter): @Crypto_Roniz

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