By Ono Yima
The federal government has threatened to file a complaint against Daily Trust Newspapers with the Newspapers Proprietors Association of Nigeria (NPAN) and approach the court over a report on the Samoa agreement.
The Minister of Information, Mohammed Idris, described the report as “fake and mischievous” and said it has the potential to spark religious and social tensions. The report claimed that Nigeria signed an agreement to endorse LGBTQI+ rights and would receive $150 billion, which the government has denied
The minister saw the Daily Trust’s report on the Samoa agreement as deliberate, labeling it as “gross falsehood”. He pointed out that this was part of a pattern the newspaper had adopted since the Bola Tinubu administration took office, despite the President’s reputation for maintaining a good relationship with the media, in line with his democratic principles.
He said it is “disheartening that some elements are abusing this free environment guaranteed by the government
“We are alarmed by the level of reckless reporting and statements by some media organisations and individuals that border on national security and stability.
“While we sometimes view and treat those occasional reporting as part of the media’s normal work, we have now seen a pattern that is difficult to be wished away as normal journalism.
“The insidious and inciting publications by the Daily Trust these past months have come across as nothing but a deliberate effort to brush the government with a tar.
“On many occasions, we have restrained ourselves from believing that this was the case but the consistency of the mischievous publications leaves us with no option.
“In the aftermath of the coup in Niger Republic, Daily Trust championed a jaundiced narrative that the Federal Government was driving the country into a war and twisted it with regional sentiment to cause disaffection.
“The same newspaper gave a banner headline to a baseless accusation that the government was working on siting foreign military bases in the country.
“Neither Daily Trust nor originators of that imaginative allegation provided any shred of evidence.
“Then just two weeks ago, Daily Trust concocted and popularised a lie that the Federal Government had renamed the Murtala Mohammed Expressway in Abuja to Wole Soyinka Way.
“In all those instances, all that the paper depended on were falsehoods and hearsays. They also showed no remorse or the humility to recant.
“We, however, did not envisage that Daily Trust and people behind it could descend to the reckless level of attempting to set the country on fire by falsely accusing the government of signing a deal to promote LGBTQI.
“We found that despicable and wicked because the allegation is nowhere in the document signed.
“Surprisingly, the paper put forward no evidence nor provided the agreement allegedly signed to prove their point.
“The baseless and sensational story unfortunately formed a basis for khutba (sermons), by some of our respected imams who were misled by the story, thereby raising tempers,” he said.
“While past governments clamped down on the media for infractions much lower than this, we are, however, toeing the path of civility and the rule of law,” he said, adding take the issue with the Newspapers Proprietors Association of Nigeria (NPAN) “this irresponsible reporting”.
While cautioning the media he said that the government reaffirms its commitment to supporting ethical media and free speech, but will not tolerate the spread of fake news and disinformation that could compromise national peace and security. Any such harmful content will be met with swift action, as the government prioritizes the well-being and safety of the nation.