12/08/2026
SOKOTO COMMISSIONER SEEKS UNESCO PARTNERSHIP TO TACKLE MISINFORMATION, PROMOTE PEACE
The Sokoto State Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Alhaji Sambo Bello Danchadi, has called for stronger collaboration with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) to combat misinformation and disinformation and promote peace and social cohesion in the state.
The Commissioner made the call when the Coordinator, Communication and Information Sector, UNESCO Abuja, Hajiya Yachat Nuhu, led a delegation on a courtesy visit to his office.
Alhaji Danchadi said the world was currently facing a fragile peace situation, noting that misinformation and disinformation had become major factors capable of creating tension, division and conflict among individuals and communities.
He observed that communities that had lived together peacefully for generations could suddenly become divided when false information was deliberately created and circulated to provoke ethnic, religious or communal sentiments.
According to him, the situation has been further complicated by rapid technological developments, particularly the emergence of artificial intelligence, which has made it increasingly difficult for members of the public to distinguish between genuine and fabricated information.
The Commissioner stressed the need for citizens to develop the ability to critically assess information before accepting or sharing it, noting that not everything that appears possible or convincing is necessarily true.
He said the emergence of social media had significantly changed the information environment, explaining that while people traditionally regarded information from radio and television as credible, the proliferation of social media platforms had made the verification of information more important than ever.
