• Home
  • Anti-Corruption
  • Fact-Check
  • Economy
  • National
    • Government
  • Security
  • Features
  • State
  • Event
    • PR Nigeria Award
  • E-Paper
Search
  • Home
  • About
  • Adverts
  • Contact
Sign in
Welcome! Log into your account
Forgot your password? Get help
Password recovery
Recover your password
A password will be e-mailed to you.
PRNIGERIA PRNigeria News
PRNIGERIA PRNIGERIA
  • Home
  • Anti-Corruption
    • Chinese nationals jailed in Lagos

      Court Jails Nine Chinese Nationals for Cybercrime in Lagos

      ASUU

      Tackle Corruption, Institutional Decay – ASUU Charges FG

      EFCC Arraigns Bauchi Accountant General Over N8bn Fraud as Court Sentences…

      PRNigeria logo fearured image

      EFCC Arraigns Ex-Convict, Other for Naira Abuse in Lagos

      EFCC Arrests 37 Suspected Internet Fraudsters in Ilorin

  • Fact-Check
  • Economy
    • Customs Diplomacy: Nigeria, Saudi Arabia Ink Mutual Assistance Deal

      Comptroller General Nigerian Customs Bashir Adewale

      Nigeria, Belarus Forge Alliance to Combat Smuggling, Facilitate Trade

      President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and CG Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi

      Tinubu Hails Customs Boss Wale Adeniyi on Historic Election as WCO…

      WTO Lauds Nigeria Customs for Embracing Global Trade Standards

      Nigeria, Rwanda Sign Landmark Tax Treaty to Boost Cross-Border Investment

  • National
    • A Different Kind of War on Drugs By As-Sayyidul Arafat Abdulrazaq

      HAJJ Pilgrims pilgrimage NAHCON

      NAHCON Completes 2025 Hajj Return Operations 

      MNJTF troops

      LAKE CHAD: Major Victory as 210 Boko Haram Terrorists, Families Surrender…

      For Aminu Dantata to Sleep Well… By Abdullahi O Haruna Haruspice

      Nigerian Dignitaries, Business Leaders Attend Aminu Dantata’s Burial in Madinah Saudi…

    • Government
      • G7 Countries

        Iran Must Never Possess Nuclear Weapons – G7 Declare

        Nigerian Dignitaries, Business Leaders Attend Aminu Dantata’s Burial in Madinah Saudi…

        Dantata laid to rest at Medina Cemetery

        Legendary Business Mogul Aminu Dantata Laid to Rest in Madinah Cemetery

        Tinubu Seeks Visa Waivers, Scholarships as Nigeria Establishes Diplomatic Ties with…

        Malam Yusuf Abubakar Dingyadi

        Dingyadi, PDP Chair’s Vocal Spokesperson, Resigns

  • Security
    • Military Troops during operations

      Military Eliminate Bandit in Plateau, Rescue Abducted Victim

      Military Troops in Action

      Troops Ambush Bandits in Plateau, Neutralise One, Rescue Kidnap Victim

      Vice Marshal (AVM) Abubakar Adamu, Chairman Military Pension Board

      New MPB Chairman AVM Abubakar Adamu Pledges to Prioritise Retirees’ Welfare

      General Christopher Gwabin Musa, Chief of Defence Staff, CDS

      DHQ, NIS Team Up to Revive Nigerian Sports

      A Different Kind of War on Drugs By As-Sayyidul Arafat Abdulrazaq

  • Features
    • A Different Kind of War on Drugs By As-Sayyidul Arafat Abdulrazaq

      For Aminu Dantata to Sleep Well… By Abdullahi O Haruna Haruspice

      Bashir Adewale Adeniyi Customs Boss

      Bashir Adeniyi: A Roadmap to Global Customs Leadership By Tahir Ahmad

      IGP Kayode Egbetokun Police Boss

      IGP Egbetokun: Leading the Charge for a Safer Nigeria By Danjuma…

      NDLEA Logo

      Drug Culture in Nigerian Music: When Art Imitates Harm By Arafat…

  • State
    • Military Troops during operations

      Military Eliminate Bandit in Plateau, Rescue Abducted Victim

      A Different Kind of War on Drugs By As-Sayyidul Arafat Abdulrazaq

      MNJTF troops

      LAKE CHAD: Major Victory as 210 Boko Haram Terrorists, Families Surrender…

      Troops of Operation FANSAN YANMA

      In Plateau, Security Forces Dislodge Militias, Reclaim Villages in Bokkos

      Military Troops during operations

      Gallant Troops Nab 25 Suspected Bandits, Kidnappers in Benue

  • Event
    • NELFUND

      NELFUND Warns Students Against Fake Loan Application Portal

      EFCC Witness: Yahaya Bello Had No Property Dealings With EFAB

      Hon. Rukayat Motunrayo Shittu (RMS), with PRNigeria Ladies in PR I'm Abuja

      Rukayat Shittu Set to Publish Inspirational Book “Cracking the Glass Ceiling”,…

      Chief Cornelius Olatunji Adebayo

      Former Kwara Governor, Chief Adebayo, Dies at 84

      Managing Editor of Image Merchants, Mr Abdulrahman Abdulraheem, PR Expert, Celestine Achi and the Editor-in-chief, Yushau Shuaib presenting the book to PRNigeria center

      PRNigeria Commends New Book on Artificial Intelligence in Public Relations

    • PR Nigeria Award
  • E-Paper
Home Fact-Check Fake News, Hate Speech Aggravating Sokoto Crisis, PRNigeria Raises Alarm
  • Fact-Check

Fake News, Hate Speech Aggravating Sokoto Crisis, PRNigeria Raises Alarm

By
Prnigeria
-
May 15, 2022
Blasphemy Debora and Suspect
Blasphemy Deborah and Suspect

Fake News, Hate Speech Aggravating Sokoto Crisis, PRNigeria Raises Alarm

Fake news and hate speech are escalating the already tensed situation in Sokoto, following the gruesome killing of a female student, Deborah Samuel over alleged blasphemy and the subsequent violent protest in Sokoto State, PRNigeria reports.

One of the fake news items was shared by the Catholic Broadcast Commission Nigeria on its  Facebook page that has over 90,000 followers. The CBC made a post earlier that the Catholic bishop of Sokoto diocese, Matthew Kukah’s house was set ablaze by rioters.

 The post read: “Carnage in Sokoto today: Aftermath of violent protest in Sokoto today. Holy Family Catholic Cathedral, Bishop Kukah’s house and Catholic Pastoral Centre which were built with over N1 billion naira have been burnt down by hoodlums who are protesting the arrest of those who murdered Miss Deborah Yakubu.”

However Bishop Kukah himself debunked the claim. 

The Bishop said no life was lost in the said riot and noted, “Contrary to information in circulation, we wish to disclaim that there was an attack of any sort on the residence of Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah.” 

Another case of a video trending, claimed that Northerners are now attacking southerners.

“The Northerners are now protesting and destroying things that belongs to the Igbos? How did they drag Igbos into this thing now?,” one of the tweets which has now been shared severally claimed,” 

Another tweet claimed, “These lots have started going into houses to pick the Christian’s up and attacking them …If you’re a Christian in Sokoto . Lock your door and stay in door … It’s madness out there ….” 

But PRNigeria’s analysis of the comments and reactions under the posts suggest the claim is  not accurate. 

Some responses on the tweet claimed that it was an old video of a suspected child trafficker who was arrested for abducting a child.

Speaking on the latest development, the Head of Investigations and Fact-Check Desk of PRNigeria, Dahiru Lawal said that there was an alarming trend where social media users were misinforming disinformation their audiences to exacerbate the already tensed situation.

Lawal said: “Emotions are aggravated on both sides with fake news and hate speeches flying around and further deepening the crisis with the fear that it could lead to an unpleasant descent. We are already seeing a similar pattern with the EndSARS protest evolving in some areas. 

“We tried to trace the source by breaking the video into keyframes and doing google, tineye, bing and yandex reverse image search of the keyframes but that didn’t lead to any firm result. So there’s still unsusbtantial evidence to prove the claims associated with that particular video even though many have confirmed that the video is not recent and has been in circulation for over a year. We are still tracing and will make our findings public,” Lawal explained.  

Read Also:

  • Military Eliminate Bandit in Plateau, Rescue Abducted Victim
  • Troops Ambush Bandits in Plateau, Neutralise One, Rescue Kidnap Victim
  • New MPB Chairman AVM Abubakar Adamu Pledges to Prioritise Retirees’ Welfare

Beyond the fake news,  the attendant reactions are contributing to the hate speech further enraging already frayed nerves. Those expressing contrary views are being disparaged, threatened or attacked. 

In response to some social media posts suing for peace, comments like “faceless and shameless pigs,” remain glaring. 

When the Editor in Chief of PRNigeria, Yushau Shuaib, posted on his facebook timeline the views of Sheikh Ahmed Deedat which states that, “the biggest enemy of Islam is the ignorant Muslim, whose ignorance leads him to intolerance; whose actions destroy the true image of Islam and when people look at him, they think that Islam is what he is,” Mr Shuaib was labeled a hypocrite and threatened with lynching by a facebook user, Abubakar Abdulnasir. 

This Facebook user threatened PRNigeria‘s Editor in Chief when he sued for peace

In a similar chain of unfolding events PRNigeria has uncovered several parody accounts used to propagate inciteful comments and posts on the matter.

“As at las count we have unfolded not less than 70 of such fake accounts that are used to attack other personalities and their religions,” Lawal revealed.

He further explained that parody accounts can easily be detected by examining a profile activity, recent posts, tracking IP address and location and detecting how recent a given social media account was created. 

“Profiles newly created in the heat of such a crisis and are posting on such issues are most likely parody accounts created just for the purpose,” he explains. 

Parody accounts like this one have been created all over the social media, posting inciteful comments

PRNigeria’s Editor in Chief, Yushau Shuaib, expresses worry about the development.

“It’s a pity that information disorder is now used as a weapon of war to further polarise and justify acts that will lead us to a greater mess than we are already in with the Sokoto situation,” he decried. 

He vowed that, “even if we remain the only one standing, we will continue to sacrifice our media platforms for the dignity and sanity of humanity by checkmating information disorder and ensuring that we put out the authenticated information out there for public good.”

Meanwhile, following the violence, the Sokoto State Governor, Aminu Tambuwal, has imposed a 24-hour curfew on the metropolis to restore order in the city.

Deborah, a second-year student of the Shehu Shagari College of Education in Sokoto State, was killed on Thursday following an allegation that she had blasphemed the prophet of Islam.

By PRNigeria

VISIT OUR OTHER WEBSITES
PRNigeria.com EconomicConfidential.com PRNigeria.com/Hausa/
EmergencyDigest.com PoliticsDigest.ng TechDigest.ng
HealthDigest.ng SpokesPersonsdigest.com TeensDigest.ng
ArewaAgenda.com Hausa.ArewaAgenda.com YAShuaib.com
  • TAGS
  • Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese
  • Deborah Samuel
  • Governor Aminu Tambuwal
  • Methew Kukah
  • Sokoto
Previous articleNDLEA Blocks Italy, Dubai-bound Drugs, Seizes 203,879 Tramadol Tabs
Next articlePolice Deny Report Identifying Deborah’s Suspected Killer As Foreigner
Prnigeria
Prnigeria

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR

FACT-CHECK: Are Travelers in Kogi Under Attack by Armed Fulani Herdsmen?

FACT-CHECK: Did Borno Governor Zulum’s Wife Lift Primary School Mate Out of Poverty in Viral Video?

Fact-Check: Did Saudi ‘Sleeping Prince’ Wake Up After 20 Years in a Coma?

Fact Check: Does Rat Faeces Cure Appendicitis as Claimed in Viral Video?

Fake News and AI: The Unseen Force Behind Traore’s Popularity

FACT-CHECK: Did Senator Saliu Mustapha of Kwara Endorse a Ponzi Scheme in Live TV Interview?

‎FACT-CHECK: Were Nigerian soldiers captured and bundled onto a motorcycle by terrorists?

‎How PRNigeria Fact-Checks Unmasked 9 Top Fake News in May 2025

False claims circulated amid surge in Boko Haram terror attacks in Nigeria

Department of State Security Service DSS

FACT-CHECK: Is DSS Receiving Applications for Recruitment?

Aliaa Reeves of USA falsely depicted as so-called Zainab muhamad of Zamfara

FACT CHECK: Is Zamfara Woman Facing Death Penalty for Converting to Christianity?

‎FACT-CHECK: Did Peter Obi Kneel Before President Tinubu at the Inauguration of Pope Leo XIV?

Recent Posts

  • Military Eliminate Bandit in Plateau, Rescue Abducted Victim
  • Troops Ambush Bandits in Plateau, Neutralise One, Rescue Kidnap Victim
  • New MPB Chairman AVM Abubakar Adamu Pledges to Prioritise Retirees’ Welfare
  • DHQ, NIS Team Up to Revive Nigerian Sports
  • A Different Kind of War on Drugs By As-Sayyidul Arafat Abdulrazaq
  • Home
  • About
  • Adverts
  • Contact
© 2020 PRNigeria. All Rights Reserved.
Latest News
Military Eliminate Bandit in Plateau, Rescue Abducted VictimTroops Ambush Bandits in Plateau, Neutralise One, Rescue Kidnap VictimNew MPB Chairman AVM Abubakar Adamu Pledges to Prioritise Retirees’ WelfareDHQ, NIS Team Up to Revive Nigerian SportsA Different Kind of War on Drugs By As-Sayyidul Arafat AbdulrazaqMNJTF Receives 5 Swamp Buggies to Boost Security, Economic Recovery in Lake Chad RegionNAHCON Completes 2025 Hajj Return Operations LAKE CHAD: Major Victory as 210 Boko Haram Terrorists, Families Surrender to MNJTFIn Plateau, Security Forces Dislodge Militias, Reclaim Villages in BokkosGallant Troops Nab 25 Suspected Bandits, Kidnappers in BenueIran Must Never Possess Nuclear Weapons - G7 DeclarePolice to Destroy Unexploded Explosive Devices in YobeMilitary Receives 84 CNG-powered Vehicles to Enhance OperationsFCT Police Urges Influencers to Spotlight Heroism, Not Just Negativity on SecurityFor Aminu Dantata to Sleep Well… By Abdullahi O Haruna Haruspice
X whatsapp