Former Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, has attributed the escalation of the 2020 #EndSARS protests to the spread of fake news and disinformation, describing it as the major challenge faced by the government during the period.
The #EndSARS protests, which began on October 8, 2020, started as peaceful demonstrations against police brutality and calls for the disbandment of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad of the Nigeria Police Force. The movement quickly gained traction on social media and spread across major cities nationwide.
Speaking during an engagement at the London School of Economics and Political Science, Mohammed said the protests initially reflected legitimate public grievances but later degenerated as unverified information circulated widely.
In a statement issued on Sunday by his media office, the former minister noted that misinformation intensified tensions, particularly following the deployment of troops to the Lekki Toll Gate to disperse demonstrators.
According to him, “The challenge was not just a communication gap between government and citizens, but the overwhelming impact of fake news and disinformation, compounded by violence.”
Mohammed also criticised international media coverage of the protests, alleging that some reports relied on unverified materials, thereby influencing global narratives about the incident.
He described the episode as a clear demonstration of the power of disinformation in shaping public perception during crises.
Reflecting on the COVID-19 pandemic, Mohammed said Nigeria had to evolve its communication strategies without precedent, noting that the last comparable global health crisis occurred over a century ago.
He explained that the government adopted a multi-channel communication approach, including daily briefings, local language messaging and nationwide radio programmes to keep citizens informed and counter misinformation.
The former minister further defended the suspension of Twitter in Nigeria at the time, describing it as a necessary step after efforts to address concerns over misinformation and divisive content failed.
Mohammed made the remarks during a three-day speaking tour in the United Kingdom, where he addressed issues of governance, leadership and public communication, drawing from his experience in office.
