CBN News Must Be Held Accountable for Spreading Dangerous Misinformation in Nigeria

By

Peace Advocate and Development Journalist Aisha J. Ahmad

The recent CBN News post, which falsely used an image from the Malumfashi mosque tragedy in Katsina State while claiming that “Muslims murdered 25 Christians,” is a serious act of misinformation that threatens peace, unity, and national security. This is not journalism it is incitement.

Investigations confirmed that the image originated from the tragic attack on a mosque in Unguwan Mantau, Malumfashi Local Government Area of Katsina State, which occurred on 19 August 2025, as reported by Vanguard. The Guardian Newspaper also documented the incident, describing it as a reprisal attack that claimed 13 lives, while the Federal Government later announced that the actual death toll could exceed 50 worshippers. AP News equally covered the attack.

Connecting this photo to an entirely different narrative—one that blames Muslims for killing Christians—can provoke fear, deepen religious divides, and threaten national peace.

Such manipulation of sensitive events is irresponsible and capable of damaging the fragile unity among Nigeria’s diverse communities.

This situation is even more concerning given the recent inflammatory comments made by former U.S. President Donald Trump about conflicts in Africa. At a time when international rhetoric is already escalating, misleading reports from Western media risk being used to justify external interference or create the false impression of a religious war in Nigeria.

Nigeria must not allow foreign media platforms to exploit its tragedies for political or ideological agendas. It is crucial for authorities, media regulatory bodies, and civil society organizations to demand accountability from CBN News for publishing such harmful misinformation.

Immediate action is necessary to correct this misinformation, safeguard national stability, and ensure that no organization uses Nigeria’s pain to promote chaos or fuel dangerous divisions.