…As Minister raises concern over AI misuse
The President of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Comrade Alhassan Yahaya, on Friday led a delegation of national officers and FCT Council executives on a courtesy visit to the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, at his office in Abuja.
Comrade Yahaya reaffirmed the NUJ’s commitment to partnering with the Federal Government in promoting professionalism and combating misinformation in the media landscape.
During the high-level meeting, Yahaya congratulated the Minister on his appointment and thanked President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for appointing a seasoned media practitioner to lead the ministry.
He also briefed the Minister on activities planned to mark the NUJ’s 70th anniversary, during which the Minister is expected to serve as Chief Host.
The NUJ President assured the Ministry of the union’s readiness to support efforts aimed at highlighting the achievements of the Tinubu administration and upholding journalistic integrity in the digital era.
In his response, Minister Idris expressed concern over the increasing misuse of Artificial Intelligence (AI), especially deepfake technologies used to spread falsehoods and undermine public trust.
“You could be seated here and someone superimposes another person’s face on your body, creating a completely false narrative,” he warned.
He lamented that deepfakes have harmed reputations and traumatised families by portraying individuals in scandalous, fabricated circumstances.
The Minister disclosed that the Federal Government is working with UNESCO to clean up the social media environment while respecting freedom of expression.
According to him, UNESCO has received over 10,000 submissions from more than 100 countries and has developed a global guide to help digital content creators maintain online credibility.
He called on the NUJ to lead the campaign against fake news and misinformation by upholding professional standards and ridding the profession of impostors.
He also stressed the need to promote ethical conduct among citizen journalists.
The Minister announced the establishment of a UNESCO-approved Category 2 Media and Information Literacy (MIL) Institute in Nigeria, the first of its kind globally.
The institute, he noted, will empower journalists, students, and the general public with critical thinking skills to navigate digital content responsibly.
While congratulating the NUJ on its 70th anniversary, the Minister reiterated the Tinubu administration’s commitment to media freedom, describing it as vital to democratic growth in Nigeria.
The visit ended with mutual assurances of continued collaboration between the Ministry and the NUJ in advancing ethical journalism and addressing emerging threats in the media space.
Members of the NUJ President’s delegation included Deputy National President Comrade Abimbola Oyetunde; National Secretary, Comrade Achike Chude; National Treasurer, Victor Ndukwe; National Financial Secretary, Samuel Dada; Vice President, Zone D, Adeiza Momoh; his Zonal Secretary, Dauda Mohammed; and the FCT Council Chairperson, Grace Ike, alongside her executive team.
