Muhuyi Magaji, former Chairman of the Kano State Public Complaint and Anti-Corruption Commission, has called for stronger laws to combat fake news in Nigeria. Speaking in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Saturday in Abuja, Magaji, a legal practitioner, said existing legal frameworks recognise the publication of false information as an offence but lack specific provisions addressing fake news in the digital era. He noted that the Penal Code in Northern Nigeria and the Criminal Code in Southern Nigeria both criminalise false statements, but neither directly targets the spread of misinformation on social media platforms like X and Facebook. According to Magaji, the Cybercrimes Act includes penalties of up to seven years in prison or a fine of N7 million for certain digital offences, but does not comprehensively cover fake news. He argued that legislation must evolve to assign responsibility not only to individuals who spread false information but also to digital platforms hosting such content. Magaji urged that companies should, in appropriate cases, be compelled to issue apologies or face consequences when their platforms are used to disseminate dangerous falsehoods. He warned that unchecked misuse of freedom of expression could enable attacks on individuals and the circulation of misleading information. The legal expert stressed the need for dedicated cybercrime units within all security agencies to respond effectively to technology-driven crimes, including kidnapping, which increasingly rely on digital communication. Magaji said Nigeria had adopted global information technology without sufficient safeguards to manage emerging risks, leaving the country vulnerable to digital threats. He maintained that robust legal instruments and uncompromising enforcement are necessary to balance freedom of expression with societal protection.
Magaji's call exposes a contradiction: Nigeria has laws penalising false information, yet no statute explicitly criminalises fake news in the digital space. The absence of platform liability means social media companies operate without legal obligation to curb misinformation on their networks. This gap allows harmful content to spread unchecked, even as digital crimes like kidnapping exploit the same channels. Without targeted legislation, enforcement remains reactive rather than preventive.
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