Lagos (AFP) – Nigerian authorities have arrested at least eight people in recent weeks for spreading false information on social media, as officials threaten tougher penalties following a wave of misinformation linked to a recent school kidnapping.
Issued on: 16/06/2026 - 15:27
The abductions on May 15 rocked Nigeria's typically calm southwest, where many had thought they were safe from the mass kidnappings by jihadists and "bandit" gangs that have long rattled the conflict-hit north of the country.
Gunmen abducted at least 46 pupils and staff in a raid on three schools in Oyo state, in what the army called a jihadist attack.
A month later, with the pupils still in captivity, false claims about the headline-dominating incident have found foothold on social media -- just as Africa's most populous country heads for what is expected to be a contentious general election in January.
