The Federal Government has criticized the Daily Trust newspaper for what it called “misleading reports”.
The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, spoke at the National Press Centre, saying the government values free speech and media criticism but is concerned about “misleading reports” from the Daily Trust.
He said: “The Federal Government under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has maintained an open arm relationship with the media. It is in line with the philosophy of the President as an avowed democrat who spent a lifetime fighting for the entrenchment of democracy and human rights.”
Idris noted that the government allows media criticism and protects freedom of expression, but some reports by Daily Trust are “harmful to national security”.
“While we sometimes view and treat those occasional reporting as part of media’s normal work, we have now seen a pattern that is difficult to be wished away as normal journalism,” he said.
The minister mentioned “several false reports” by the Daily Trust, including claims that the government was planning a war, setting up foreign military bases, and renaming the Murtala Muhammed Expressway in Abuja.
He was especially upset about a recent report that the government signed a deal to promote LGBTQ rights.
“This allegation is nowhere in the document signed,” he said, adding that the report even caused public anger after some imams included it in their sermons.
Despite these issues, Idris assured that the government would follow the law and not use harsh measures.
“While past governments clamped down on the media for infractions much lower than this, we are however toeing the path of civility and the rule of law,” he said.
Idris announced that the government would file a formal complaint with the Newspaper Proprietors Association of Nigeria (NPAN) ombudsman and seek legal action.
He said, “The Federal Government once again restates its friendly policy towards ethical media and free speech.
“We would, however, not take fake news and disinformation that would injure the peace of our country and it’s national security lightly.”
