Nigeria media watchdog probes report on Samoa Agreement

Nigeria’s media watchdog, the National Media Complaints Commission (NMCN), has received a formal complaint from the Federal Government on a report published by Daily Trust on July 4.
The newspaper had in the report
titled: “LGBT: Nigeria Signs $150 Billion Samoa Deal,” claimed the agreement included clauses promoting LGBTQ+ rights as a condition for a purported $150 billion loan.
The federal government, however, denied the claim as “false and misleading information that severely threatens national security.
This development comes amidst controversy surrounding the Samoa Agreement itself.
The agreement, a framework for the European Union’s relations with African, Caribbean, and Pacific nations, has been met with public scrutiny in Nigeria.
The federal government also maintained it does not infringe on national sovereignty or social values.
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Daily Trust, a prominent Nigerian newspaper, has acknowledged “some lapses” in their reporting and promised to take corrective measures. However, the extent of these corrections and the paper’s response to the FG’s complaint remain to be seen.
The NMCC, in a statement jointly signed by its Chairman and Interim Secretary, Eluem Izeze and Feyi Smith, respectively, said it had acknowledged the federal government’s complaint and promised to give it the necessary attention.
The statement read: “The management of Daily Trust will be contacted shortly for its response.
“In accordance with this mandate and our established procedures, we have commenced an investigation into the government’s allegations. We assure the public that our inquiry will be thorough and impartial.
“We look forward to receiving the full cooperation of all parties involved and pledge to continue to ensure transparency throughout this process.”
The NMCN’s investigation will unravel the accuracy of Daily Trust’s reporting and determine if journalistic ethics were breached.
This case has significant implications for Nigerian media, raising questions about fact-checking, responsible reporting, and the potential impact of inaccurate information on national security.
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