In an age where anyone with a smartphone can create and share content, the line between fact and fiction is getting dangerously thin. In Nigeria, this is no longer just a media concern; it has become a national security issue. The Centre for Crisis Communication (CCC) has warned that artificial intelligence-generated fake news, deepfakes and coordinated disinformation campaigns now pose serious threats to public trust, national stability and security. This warning carries particular weight as the country approaches the 2027 general elections, a period when information is likely to be weaponized along political, ethnic and religious lines. The CCC issued its warning after convening two days of dialogue in Kaduna State on October 27 and 28 at the Nigerian Air Force Club. Themed “Inter-Agency Collaboration, Public Trust and Cyber Threat Management in Crisis Communication,” the symposium brought together more than 150 participants from the military, security and intelligence agencies, emergency responders, government institutions, academia and media organisations. These were not just officials ticking boxes; they were the men and women who would be called upon to speak truth in moments of chaos. Their message was simple but urgent: false information is not a passing nuisance, it can destabilise a nation. When citizens are flooded with doctored videos, fake tweets and manipulated voices, they begin to doubt everything. In a multi-ethnic and multi-religious country like Nigeria, such doubt can be weaponised to ignite conflict and tear communities apart. The symposium was not merely an academic exercise; it was an attempt to build a protective shield for the country’s future.
The participants did not mince words. They identified misinformation, disinformation, AI-generated deepfakes and cyber threats as emerging dangers to national stability. There is an important distinction between the first two: misinformation is false information shared by people who do not know any better, while disinformation is deliberately manufactured and spread to deceive. AI makes both far more dangerous. Deepfakes—realistic but fabricated videos and audio recordings created by algorithms—can make it appear that a political leader said something they never said, or that soldiers committed atrocities they never committed. During security operations, such fake content can undermine the mission before it even begins. It can fuel anger, trigger mob violence and turn the public against the very institutions created to protect them. The communiqué issued at the end of the symposium noted that false information circulated during emergencies could trigger panic, divert critical resources, endanger lives and undermine public trust. Imagine a fire breaking out in a crowded market. If someone shares a false message saying the fire was caused by a bomb attack from a rival group, the resulting stampede could kill more people than the fire itself. In such moments, verified and timely information is not a luxury; it is a matter of life and death. The symposium acknowledged the positive power of social media and emerging technologies, which allow government agencies, emergency responders and ordinary citizens to communicate instantly. But they also increase the speed at which lies spread. Because of this, participants stressed the urgent need to strengthen verification mechanisms, encourage responsible communication, and monitor harmful information before it goes viral. Information is no longer just a communication tool; it is a weapon, and without a proper defence, Nigeria remains vulnerable.
The centre therefore called on the Federal Government to establish a functional technological framework to detect and counter false information. But technology alone is not enough. The participants also asked for citizens themselves to be made more resilient to manipulation. They recommended a wider digital literacy campaign so that ordinary Nigerians can question, verify and challenge suspicious content rather than forwarding it instantly. One of the most striking recommendations was the creation of an Integrated National Crisis Information Architecture. This would be a unified system, supported by standard operating procedures and protocols, to harmonise information-sharing and public communication among security agencies and other relevant institutions. Currently, too often, agencies make conflicting statements during a crisis. One says an incident was an accident; another calls it an attack. The public is left confused and suspicious, and the credibility of all institutions suffers. A single coordinated system would help put an end to that. Another key recommendation was the establishment of regulatory frameworks for social media and AI applications—not to silence dissent, but to safeguard national security while protecting freedom of expression, fundamental rights and due process. This is a delicate balance. Over-regulation could stifle democracy, while under-regulation could allow chaos. The participants were fully aware of this tension, and their proposal was for smart regulation that targets harmful content, not legitimate criticism. They also recommended stronger early-warning systems, joint threat monitoring, regular training and secure information-sharing mechanisms. Security agencies need to share intelligence and build trust among themselves. A journalist should be able to verify a statement from a military commander quickly. A governor should have a direct line to the commissioner of police. A civil defence officer should know which spokesperson is authorised to speak. All of this requires trust, clear roles and discipline.
Several voices at the symposium brought the message to life. In his welcome address, the Chairman of the CCC, Major General Chris Olukolade (rtd.), emphasised the importance of crisis communication to national security and public safety. He spoke at a time when artificial intelligence is making it harder to distinguish truth from falsehood, and the approach of the 2027 elections only adds to the urgency. His presence—a retired military officer leading a civilian advocacy body—showed that the fight against disinformation cuts across the old divide between security and civil society. The symposium was declared open by the Kaduna State Commissioner for Information, Ahmed Maiyaki, who stood in for Governor Uba Sani. Maiyaki went straight to the point: misinformation and disinformation are emerging national security threats. He did not call for censorship or suppression; instead, he advocated sensitisation programmes to educate political actors on responsible communication. This is an important idea, because many of the worst information disorders begin with careless statements by politicians. Candidates and their supporters need to understand that their words can cause real harm. The keynote speaker, Dr. Kabiru Adamu, Managing Director of Beacon Security and Innovation Limited, was represented by Samuel Aruwan. Adamu’s keynote highlighted the diverse security challenges across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones. The insurgency in the North-East, banditry in the North-West, separatist tensions in the South-East, piracy and oil theft in the South-South—the challenges are not identical, so communication strategies cannot be the same everywhere. What works in Maiduguri may not work in Port Harcourt. This reinforces the need for collaboration, for sharing lessons learned, and for developing messages that reflect the unique context of each community. It also underscores a central theme of the entire symposium: no single agency can manage crisis communication alone.
Looking toward the upcoming elections, the participants called on the CCC and relevant stakeholders to organise sensitisation programmes for political actors, journalists and media editors ahead of the 2027 general elections. The goal is to address information manipulation and promote responsible communication. This is not just a theoretical exercise. During election cycles, hate speech, doctored videos and fake opinion polls often flood social media. Political parties sometimes hire digital operatives to launch coordinated smear campaigns. If journalists are not trained to verify content, and if editors are not committed to truth over speed, the public will be drowned in lies. The symposium therefore urged media organisations and security agencies to strengthen professional cooperation and ensure that public information is accurate and verified. Fact-checking units should have access to official sources. Reporters should feel confident asking security questions and receiving clear, timely answers. The participants also noted that conflicting statements from security agencies can confuse the public and undermine institutional credibility. This is a direct call for communication discipline. When citizens hear two different stories from two government bodies, they may believe neither. The solution lies in designated spokespersons having timely access to verified information, subject to operational security requirements. That phrase, “subject to operational security requirements,” is important. There will always be some information that cannot be shared immediately—troop locations, negotiation details, ongoing investigations. But when the government cannot share details, it should say so openly rather than releasing a confusing half-truth. An honest “we don’t yet know, but we will update you” is far better than a speculative statement that must be retracted later.
At the end of the symposium, the participants concluded that effective crisis communication, public trust and inter-agency collaboration are fundamental to Nigeria’s national security and resilience. The Centre for Crisis Communication reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening professional capacity, promoting institutional cooperation, and working with relevant stakeholders to translate these recommendations into measurable outcomes. The communiqué was signed by Commodore Kabir Aliyu (rtd.) of the CCC and Ikramat Umar Muazu of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA). The fact that NEMA co-signed is a reminder that communication is part of emergency response; you cannot save lives if you cannot communicate clearly. The CCC’s warning is not a cry of pessimism, but a call to action. Nigeria has the capability to counter these threats, but only if government, security agencies, tech companies, media and citizens work together. The average Nigerian has a role to play. When you see a shocking video, pause before forwarding it. Ask who made it, when it was made, and why it is being sent to you. Cross-check with reliable sources. That small act of vigilance is a form of defence. In the face of AI-generated falsehoods, human critical thinking is still the strongest shield. As 2027 approaches, the pressure will intensify. There will be attempts to manipulate ethnic and religious identities, to turn brothers against brothers, and to turn elections into battlegrounds. But the conversation in Kaduna shows that leaders are aware—and awareness is the first step toward prevention. The challenge ahead is not merely to build better algorithms, but to build better institutions, greater public trust, and a more informed citizenry. If Nigeria can do that, the poison of fake news will not be able to break its national unity. The symposium ended with a simple consensus: there is no security without trust, and there is no trust without truth.