Fake news fueling herders crises in Nigeria - BBC declares

macfranc007 June 30, 2018 Nigeria News today & Breaking news ▷ Read Naija news 24/7 Aanu Adegun

- BBC reports that fake news is fueling herders crises in Nigeria as a result of social media

- It also claimed that news outlets are also guilty of fake news

- Many of the stories being circulated, and which breeds anger, according to the news outlet, are unrelated to the herders crises

The BBC in a new report has claimed that killings in Nigeria is being fueled by fake news.

The news outlet highlighted instances in which fake news has been used to breed anger among Nigerians.

It also reacted to the recent story in Nigeria in which Danladi Circoma, a leader of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association was quoted to have taken credit for the recent killings in Plateau state.

Going further, BBC claimed that major Nigerian news outlets are not left out in the issues of fake news circulation.

"Fake pictures circulating on social media which users are falsely claiming depict inter-communal violence are inflaming already high tensions in Nigeria.

"It comes after three days of deadly clashes between mainly Muslim cattle herders and mostly Christian farmers left more than 200 people dead in the centre of the country.

"A gruesome image of a woman face down in a pool of blood with a gaping shoulder wound is purported to be from the recent attacks. It has hundreds of retweets on Twitter, but it first appeared on the internet in 2011 in a story about domestic violence in Nigeria.

"Another image appears to show half a dozen people that were killed in the attacks. On closer inspection it becomes clear that the picture was not taken in Nigeria, and is actually the scene of a 2015 traffic accident in the Dominican Republic.

"Misinformation and fake news in Nigeria is nothing new, particularly around ethnic clashes and violence.

"In some cases, the lack of official information has created a vacuum which has been filled by rumours. This only serves to escalate tensions further.

"The explosion of social media - Nigeria has 26 million active Facebook users - and the rapid growth of smartphones means rumour spread quickly and easily on social media," the news outlet reports.

Meanwhile, NAIJ.com had reported that President Muhammadu Buhari vowed to protect lives and properties of Nigerians.

The president said this on Tuesday, June 26, in Jos at a meeting with stakeholders on the current security situation in Plateau.

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It would be recalled that scores of the people were killed in several communities across four local government areas of the state. Vice President Yemi Osibanjo was in the state on Monday where he assessed the situation and also interacted with stakeholders.

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