L-R: Guest Speaker, Enugu Command PPRO, SP Daniel Ndukwe (6), and other members of NIPR Enugu State Chapter at the event
By Tony Adibe
The Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR), Enugu State Chapter, has said that public relations practitioners, media professionals, government communicators, and citizens all have a shared responsibility to promote factual, timely, and responsible communication.
The institute emphasised that deliberate steps should be taken by all and sundry to combat the spread of fake news, describing misinformation as a major threat to Nigerian security, public trust, and social stability.
This was made stated during the Chapter’s July Monthly PR Clinic, held July 9, 2026, at Peekay Gardens, New Haven, Enugu, where the Police Public Relations Officer, Enugu State Command, SP Daniel Ndukwe, delivered a lecture themed: “Policing and Fake News in Times of Insecurity.”
Ndukwe advised the public to verify information before sharing it, rely on credible sources, and avoid allowing emotions or personal biases to influence their judgment. Ndukwe defined fake news as unverified information presented or circulated as though it were factual. He said the issue of fake news was a subject broad enough to occupy an entire academic semester because of its growing relevance and impact on society.
He explained that fake news exists in three major forms: misinformation, which involves the unintentional sharing of false information; disinformation, which is deliberately created and spread to deceive; and misinformation, where genuine information is intentionally used out of context or maliciously to cause harm. According to him, while technology has accelerated the spread of fake news, human psychology remains one of its greatest enablers. He said several cognitive biases influence people’s tendency to believe and share false information.
The Enugu Police Command’s PPRO said that among these are confirmation bias, where people readily accept information that aligns with their existing beliefs while rejecting contrary evidence; selective exposure, which leads individuals to consume only information that reinforces their opinions; and belief perseverance, the tendency to continue believing false information even after it has been disproved.
Ndukwe equally highlighted the repetition effect, also known as the illusory truth effect, explaining that repeated exposure to false information often makes it appear credible. He warned that “𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐛𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐤 𝐬𝐮𝐜𝐡 𝐧𝐞𝐰𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐛𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐤 𝐬𝐨𝐜𝐢𝐞𝐭𝐲,” emphasizing the devastating consequences of irresponsible information sharing.
NewsBits reports that other psychological factors discussed included in-group bias, perceived authority bias, availability heuristic, emotional reasoning, negativity bias, and clout-chasing bias, all of which contribute to the rapid spread of misinformation.
Commenting specifically on the role of technology, SP Ndukwe observed that fake news is increasingly propagated through content manipulation tools and other digital technologies, making it more difficult for the public to distinguish authentic information from fabricated content.
The lecture was followed by an interactive question-and-answer session, during which participants discussed practical approaches to tackling misinformation and strengthening collaboration among communication professionals, security agencies, the media, and government institutions.
The July PR Clinic forms part of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations, Enugu State Chapter’s continuous professional development programme, designed to equip practitioners with current knowledge and practical communication strategies for addressing emerging issues affecting the profession and society.
The event was attended by the Chapter’s Acting Chairman, Dr. Onyedikachi Onovo; Acting Secretary, Nduka Odo; Treasurer, Ihuoma Phillips-Daniel; Provost, Chief Amaechi Onah; Financial Secretary, Uju Onyemelukwe; Public Relations Officer, Samuel Nneji; and many other members of the Institute.
