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, Alhaji Mohammed Idris, at his office in Abuja.
During the high-level engagement, Comrade Yahaya reaffirmed the NUJ’s commitment to partnering with the Federal Government in promoting professionalism and countering misinformation within the media space. He congratulated the Minister on his appointment and lauded President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for entrusting the Ministry to a seasoned media expert.
The NUJ President also briefed the Minister on planned activities to mark the union’s 70th anniversary, where the Minister is expected to serve as Chief Host. He further assured the Ministry of the union’s readiness to support the dissemination of the administration’s achievements and uphold the integrity of journalism in the digital age.
In his response, the Minister expressed concern over the growing misuse of Artificial Intelligence (AI), particularly deepfake technology, which he said is being weaponized to mislead the public and discredit officials.
“You could be sitting right here, and someone could superimpose another person’s head onto your body, completely misrepresenting you,” he said, highlighting the threats posed by AI-generated misinformation.
The Minister noted that deepfake videos have caused reputational damage and emotional trauma, and stressed that the Federal Government is actively collaborating with UNESCO to clean up the social media space while preserving freedom of expression.
According to him, UNESCO has reviewed more than 10,000 submissions from over 100 countries and developed a global guide for digital content creators to ensure online credibility.
He called on the NUJ to be at the forefront of the fight against fake news and misinformation, emphasizing the urgent need to purge quacks from the journalism profession and promote ethical practices among citizen journalists.
The Minister also announced the establishment of a UNESCO-approved Category 2 Media and Information Literacy (MIL) Institute in Nigeria—the first of its kind globally. The new institution will train journalists, students, and the public to think critically and responsibly engage with digital content.
Alhaji Idris congratulated the NUJ on its 70th anniversary and reaffirmed the Tinubu administration’s commitment to protecting press freedom, describing it as vital to Nigeria’s democratic growth and stability.
The NUJ President was accompanied by 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; Zonal Secretary, Dauda Mohammed; and Chairperson of the FCT Council, Grace Ike, alongside other executives.
