The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps NSCDC has warned Nigerians against spreading misinformation and propaganda capable of worsening insecurity and triggering attacks on innocent citizens.
The Commandant of the NSCDC Federal Capital Territory Command, Dr Olusola Odumosu, gave the warning during a nationwide roadshow organised by the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations in Abuja ahead of the 2026 World Public Relations Forum.
The warning was contained in a statement issued on Sunday by the Chairman of the NIPR FCT Chapter, Stanley Ogadigo.
Odumosu said unverified information, particularly on social media, could create panic, heat the political climate and encourage criminal activities such as banditry and kidnapping.
“In combating insecurity, it is very germane that we create this awareness because there is so much misinformation and miscommunication and various forms of propaganda that are not good for our collective well-being.
“Somebody would just wake up from somewhere, bring out a video that is as old as 20 years, where maybe a crisis happened, target happenings now in places like Kano State and start dishing out instructions like ‘Everybody, if you are going to Kano, please take a detour.’ Such irresponsible communication can heat the political climate.
“And, of course, because our people don’t always go to the extent of verifying this information, many just jump to a conclusion that it is true. This has resulted in a lot of chaos and attacks on innocent citizens,” he said.
He urged Nigerians, particularly young people who are active on social media, to verify information before sharing it and avoid content capable of provoking violence or encouraging criminal activities.
“So, the essence is for us to learn to communicate responsibly, especially in this age of social media. People ought to know that it is not too good to send out information that can heat the polity or things that can make people start attacking themselves and encourage banditry, kidnapping and all of that.
“This is why I find the theme of this World Public Relations Forum very apt. So, I am saying this so that we can send out a message loud and clear that we should endeavour to communicate responsibly, especially to our youth in this age of social media. People should use social media responsibly,” Odumosu added.
The Chairman of the National Planning Committee for the WPRF, Dr Suleiman Haruna, also called for responsible use of social media, particularly amid the growing influence of artificial intelligence.
Haruna said the forum’s theme, “Responsible Communications: Voice of the World,” was designed to address concerns over information integrity and the misuse of communication platforms.
Also speaking, Ogadigo described Nigeria’s hosting of the forum as an opportunity to strengthen the country’s global reputation. He said the event would be the first World Public Relations Forum to be hosted in Nigeria and the second in Africa.
The forum, organised in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Information and National Orientation and the NIPR, is expected to attract about 3,000 delegates from 126 member countries of the Global Alliance.
The Presidency had on August 20 assured the organisers of its support for the event. The Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, gave the assurance when he received members of the WPRF Abuja 2026 Planning Committee at the State House.