The Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD West Africa) has commenced a two-day training for journalists in Benue State on fact-checking, verification, and ethical reporting, the organisation said on Tuesday.
Mr Raji Olatunji, Programme Staff of CDD West Africa, said the training in Makurdi aims to strengthen information literacy and promote social cohesion. He noted that similar sessions are also being implemented in Kaduna, Plateau, and Katsina states.
“The training is targeted at building the capacity of 90 journalists in Benue, with 45 attending each day. In today’s age of disinformation, journalists play a critical role in ensuring accurate reporting,” Olatunji said.
He highlighted the risks posed by misinformation in Northern Nigeria, where false information has previously been used to fuel violence and unrest. He added that a community baseline assessment conducted in Obi, Otukpo, and Gwer West local government areas showed that the media are the primary source of information for the people of Benue.
“Journalists must ensure all claims are verified before publishing reports to prevent disinformation actors from causing chaos,” he stressed.
The training includes lectures on tools for fact-checking, techniques to detect fake news, and methods to identify doctored images, equipping journalists to report responsibly and accurately.
CDD West Africa said the initiative is part of a broader effort to strengthen the capacity of journalists as key stakeholders in Nigeria’s information ecosystem.