By David Arome
As misinformation and disinformation continue to spread at an alarming speed across digital platforms, the need for accurate, ethical, and evidence-based journalism has become more urgent than ever. Across Northern Nigeria, false narratives and manipulated information have increasingly contributed to fear, tension, and insecurity within communities already battling violent conflict and social unrest.
In response to this growing challenge, the Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID), with support from the European Union, trained journalists from Northwestern Nigeria through its Open-Source Intelligence (OSINT) Research Fellowship focused on countering violent narratives and disinformation.
The intensive two-day training brought together journalists from several states across Northwestern Nigeria, including Niger State, to strengthen their capacity in fact-checking, digital investigations, conflict-sensitive reporting, and OSINT methodologies aimed at dismantling harmful falsehoods before they escalate into violence.
The fellowship served as a timely intervention at a period when misinformation travels rapidly online and often influences public perception before facts emerge. Through practical sessions and collaborative learning, participants were equipped with tools to verify information in real time, investigate online claims, and promote responsible storytelling that prioritizes public safety and truth.
The training also provided journalists with the right arsenal to track, verify, and counter false narratives before they cause harm to communities already grappling with insecurity and social tensions. Facilitators repeatedly emphasized that ethical journalism and evidence-based reporting remain critical tools for peacebuilding and public trust.
The fellowship featured seasoned scholars, media experts, and digital investigators who facilitated sessions on a wide range of issues surrounding conflict reporting, disinformation, fact-checking, digital investigations, and impact storytelling.
Throughout the training, facilitators consistently stressed the importance of accuracy and verification in conflict-prone environments where misinformation can easily trigger panic and violence. Journalists were encouraged to slow down, interrogate claims carefully, and prioritize evidence above the pressure to publish quickly.
Speaking during the fact-checking session, Temilade Onilede reminded participants that journalism must remain rooted in verification and accountability rather than speculation or speed.
“Fact-checking is not breaking news but verified claims backed with evidence,” Temilade noted, while encouraging journalists to prioritize verification over speed in the race to publish stories.
Facilitators also explored the devastating impact careless reporting can have in fragile and conflict-affected communities. Participants were urged to adopt conflict-sensitive approaches that reduce tensions instead of inflaming divisions through sensational language or unverified information.
While facilitating a session on violence and media responsibility in Northern Nigeria, Taiwo Hassan Adebayo emphasized the role journalists play in either escalating or reducing conflict through their reporting choices.
“Conflict-sensitive reporting should not escalate conflict or inflame issues. A few careless words can fuel a crisis. If you don’t have evidence, just drop the story. Anytime you tell the story is still important,” Taiwo stated.
Discussions during the training further examined how hate speech and coordinated online propaganda continue to shape violent narratives across social media platforms. Facilitators warned that journalists must avoid amplifying divisive content without proper scrutiny, context, and multiple layers of verification.
Claire Mom, while discussing the relationship between information disorder and violence, highlighted the dangers of relying on incomplete or manipulated information.
“Hate speech fuels conflict narrative,” Claire noted.
She further cautioned participants against depending on single-source reporting, especially in sensitive situations where misinformation can spread rapidly and influence public opinion.
“One source is never enough for fact-checking,” Claire noted.
The training also exposed participants to practical OSINT methodologies used in investigating online behavior, tracking digital footprints, and identifying coordinated disinformation campaigns. Journalists were encouraged to critically examine viral trends and question the motives behind online narratives before amplifying them to wider audiences.
During his session on online investigations and digital manipulation, Silas Jonathan explained how social media actors often shape narratives intentionally to influence public perception.
“People who share ideology online has a motive,” Silas explained during his session on OSINT methodologies and online investigations.
He further stressed the power of social media trends in shaping public thinking and behavior, urging journalists to interrogate online narratives critically.
“Trends in the social media can make people think in certain way,” he added.
Beyond investigations and fact-checking, the fellowship also focused on helping journalists understand how to measure the impact of their stories. Participants learned how intentional storytelling and strategic reporting can improve accountability, strengthen audience engagement, and contribute to meaningful social change.
Facilitating the session on impact storytelling and monitoring, evaluation, and learning, Kemi Busari encouraged journalists to think beyond publication and define the broader outcomes they want their stories to achieve.
“Define your impact strategy before you start writing the story,” Kemi advised.
Beyond technical skills and classroom sessions, the fellowship created an important platform for collaboration, peer learning, and knowledge exchange among journalists working across the Northwestern region. Participants described the training as timely and impactful, noting that the rise in digitally amplified misinformation and violent propaganda has made OSINT and verification skills indispensable in modern journalism.
The training reflects the continued commitment of the Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development to strengthening journalism, promoting accountability, and building a network of journalists capable of challenging disinformation with facts, context, and evidence-driven reporting.
