Despite several fact checks by reputable media and civic organizations, a blog www.reporterspressng.com has continued to circulate fake news, with the claim that the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Hajiya Sadiya Farouk Umar said Igbos should not expect any part of COVID-19 Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) because they want Biafra. This particular fake news, which was posted on the blog since March 31, 2020 is still being circulated widely on social media. Among others, it makes the claim that the Minister said, “Igbos has (sic) people outside the country to help them only the poor in the North will benefit (from COVID-19 palliatives).” As is the case with many fake news posted on mushroom blogs, the post did not state when and where the alleged comment was made by the Minister.
Notwithstanding the false claim and quotes in the post The Explainer fake news detectives patrolling cyber space have spotted the offensive content on the blog itself, just as several facebook users have posted the link on their wall> Social media users who posted the link on their pages have referenced it in conversations, using it as a basis to justify their claims of geo-ethnic bias in the distribution of COVID-19 palliatives. Although there have been concerns in the National Assembly about ensuring accountability, transparency and distributive justice in the determination of beneficiaries of COVID-19 palliatives, The Explainer can authoritatively inform that at no point did the Minister make the allege comment that Igbos will not be included in the palliative. The claim is false; as far as the records show, the Minister did not make any such comment.
Fake news can cause tension and civic disharmony; do not spread it! Check and verify sources of all claims and quotes before sharing.
