The Kano State Police Command and the Department of State Services (DSS) have warned social media users and influencers against the spread of fake news and misleading information capable of threatening public peace and security ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The Police Command said it would not hesitate to invoke the full weight of the law against individuals who use social media platforms to disseminate falsehoods, incite hatred or undermine public order in the state.
Speaking at a one-day workshop on Promoting Peace and Combating Fake Information, organised for social media influencers, local radio producers and youth groups in Kano, Commissioner of Police CP Adamu Ibrahim Bakori expressed concern over the growing volume of misinformation circulating online.
Bakori said false and inflammatory content on social media had continued to erode moral values, hinder socio-economic development and pose serious risks to peaceful coexistence in the state.
He warned that the Command would not allow a few individuals to destabilise the relative peace enjoyed in Kano under the guise of social media engagement.
“I want to emphasise that anyone who promotes hate speech or peddles fake news will face the full weight of the law. The Kano State Police Command is committed to maintaining law and order, and we will not hesitate to take decisive action against anyone spreading misinformation or inciting violence,” Bakori said.
He urged social media users, influencers, journalists and community leaders to exercise caution and responsibility in their engagements, particularly as the country moves closer to another election cycle.
“As the year 2026 begins, I call on all stakeholders to work with security agencies in promoting peace and stability. We must promote responsible media reporting, identify and expose purveyors of hate speech and fake news, and help build a culture of peace and tolerance,” he added.
Similarly, the DSS cautioned youths against reckless use of social media, warning that cyber misconduct would attract legal consequences.
Director of the DSS in Kano, Abubakar Hussaini, represented by a senior operative, Dr Ahmad Saleh, said the era of careless and unregulated use of social media was over.
He noted that fake news and misinformation threaten national cohesion and undermine security, stressing the Service’s readiness to collaborate with other security agencies to safeguard peace in the state.
“We will not condone acts of recklessness in cyberspace. Those who deliberately spread false information capable of inciting violence or destabilising society must desist or face the consequences,” Saleh warned.
Convener of the workshop and Founder of the Aminu Magashi Foundation (AMF), Dr Aminu Magashi, said the event—tagged the Kano Youth Summit—was organised to promote peace and counter hate speech and misinformation.
Magashi noted that misleading content on social media had, in several instances, triggered violence, especially during election periods, stressing the need for collective action to prevent similar occurrences ahead of the 2027 polls.
He called for sustained collaboration among security agencies, the media, civil society and youths to safeguard harmony and peaceful coexistence in Kano and beyond.
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