Spreading Falsehoods Online Is A Criminal Offence – Police Warn Nigerians, Deny Witch-hunting Critics
The Force Public Relations Officer, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, has cautioned Nigerians against spreading falsehoods, disinformation, mal-information, or distorting facts online, noting that they are criminal offense.
In a video statement shared on the Nigerian Police Force’s X (formerly Twitter) account on Saturday, Adejobi emphasised the importance of fact-checking before sharing information, urging bloggers, journalists, and content creators to verify their facts before publishing.
He said in part, “Spreading falsehoods, disinformation, mal-information, distortion or facts or the likes online is a criminal offence.
“Whether it is online or you are printing it, whatever you are going to do, please make sure you verify and get accurate facts of any issue you want to discuss.
“Publishing, coming online, either you are a content creator, blogger, journalist, you must make sure that you verify your stories and possibly balance the story before you come online to peddle falsehood.”
He also clarified that the police have not targeted critics of the government or the Inspector General of Police but taken action against those spreading deliberate falsehoods.
“I want to put it on record that the Nigeria police Force has not been witch hunting anybody with the use or application of Cybercrime Act 2024 as amended. We have not charged or arrested anybody for criticising the government, criticising the IG of police, No. Go and check the records. We actually arrested and prosecuted those who were out there peddling falsehoods.”
