Dr Ndueso Warns Media On Fake News Surge As Citizen Journalism Reshapes Reporting

(Dr Essien Ndueso. Photo by The Sun Nigeria)

The Senior Special Assistant to Governor Umo Eno on Research and Documentation, Dr Essien Ndueso, has called on media professionals to maintain the highest standards of professionalism and truthfulness in carrying out their responsibilities.

He also expressed deep concern about the rapid spread of misinformation and unverified content on social media, warning that the speed at which information circulates online should never be confused with the practice of genuine journalism, particularly when accuracy is sacrificed in the process.

Dr Ndueso, who also serves as Board of Trustees Chairman of the Eket Senatorial District Media Professionals, made these remarks while delivering a lecture titled "The Rise of Citizen Journalism:

Opportunities and Challenges for Mainstream Media" at the 2026 Media Symposium, organised in collaboration with the Solid Minerals Development Fund and the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency.

He acknowledged that the media landscape is undergoing significant transformation, with various digital and social media platforms fundamentally changing how information is created and shared, and enabling everyday citizens to actively participate in news gathering and reporting.

He urged established media organisations to embrace this shift by adopting digital tools, rigorous fact-checking processes, multimedia storytelling techniques and more meaningful audience engagement.

He also encouraged cooperation between professional journalists and citizen reporters, provided such partnerships are anchored in ethics, responsibility and a commitment to accuracy.

Drawing on the example of the End SARS protests, Dr Ndueso highlighted how citizen-generated content played a crucial role in documenting events on the ground and bringing global attention to the situation in Nigeria.

He cautioned, however, that for every truth that emerges, falsehoods tend to spread even faster, underscoring the urgent need for verification and ethical standards in news reporting.

He stressed that the rise of citizen journalism should not be seen as a threat to traditional media, but rather as an opportunity for it to evolve and reinvent itself.

He reminded journalists that their role has expanded beyond storytelling to include verifying facts, making sense of complex situations and safeguarding public trust.

Dr Ndueso urged both journalists and everyday social media users to make a habit of verifying information before sharing or publishing it, noting that credibility and trust remain the most valuable assets in journalism and public communication.

The symposium concluded on a celebratory note, with a vote of confidence conferred on Senator Ekong Sampson in recognition of his outstanding contributions to the district through his representation.