The Jama’atul Nasrul Islam (JNI), Gombe state chapter, in collaboration with Alkalanci, has trained 85 Islamic clerics, Imams and Tsangaya teachers drawn from across all local government areas of the state on fact-checking, media and information literacy, as part of efforts to curb the spread of misinformation/disinformation ahead of the 2027 general election.
The two-day step-down training, which held in Gombe, brought together religious leaders who serve as trusted voices in their communities, with organisers stressing their unique position to either check or amplify the spread of false information.
Speaking at the event, Secretary General of JNI, Prof. Khalid Aliyu, represented by Ustaz Yusuf Sa’id, underscored the critical role religious leaders play in combating disinformation, particularly as the country approaches the 2027 election.
He admitted that politicians often exploit clerics and religious platforms to spread disinformation for political gain, warning that such practices could deepen social division and mislead the public if left unchecked. He urged the participants to be more discerning and to use the knowledge gained from the training to protect their congregations from manipulation.
Also speaking, the Sarkin Bai of Gombe, Amb. Yerima Abdullahi, urged religious leaders to be cautious in their sermons and public engagements, warning against the inclusion of unverified propaganda or false narratives in their preaching.
He emphasized the importance of training religious leaders in fact-checking and media and information literacy, noting that as custodians of public trust, clerics and imams have a responsibility to verify information before disseminating it to their followers.
In his remarks, the Editor of Alkalanci, Alhassan Bala, commended the Gombe chapter of JNI for partnering with Alkalanci to organise the step-down training, describing it as part of broader efforts to combat misinformation and disinformation.
“Gombe was one of the states we conducted training this year, and I am happy to say you are now the first to hold step-down training this is another impact of what we have been doing.”
He noted that some individuals, both within and outside the country, deliberately create false information and use emotional appeals to manipulate religious leaders and their followers into believing and spreading such content.
The training, which concluded on Sunday, featured sessions on identifying fake news, verifying sources, and understanding the dangers of unchecked information sharing, especially in the lead-up to elections.
At the end of the programme, participants pledged to disseminate the knowledge acquired to their various communities and to cautioned the public to always verify information before sharing, noting that this is in line with Islamic teachings on truthfulness and the avoidance of falsehood.