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The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has urged Nigerians to be cautious with online reports and other contents on Nigeria’s 2023 elections as well as antics of scammers with “several election related dubious schemes.”

The IT regulatory agency said Nigerians should be wary of “misinformation and disinformation during the general elections.”

RELATED: INEC to Nigerians: Beware of fake voter registration websites

They should also be wary of fake fundraising activities or online donation purportedly to benefit political campaigns of their chosen parties.

According to Head, Corporate Affairs and External Relations, Mrs Hadiza Umar, in a statement issued in Abuja:  “the internet is a shared resource and it is our collective responsibility to ensure safe use of it by preventing the spread of misinformation and disinformation.”

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She added: “This can be achieved by flagging and reporting information which we suspect or believe to be false through the appropriate channels provided by the online platforms” in pursuant to the Code of Practice for Interactive Computer Service Platforms/Internet Intermediaries.

She advised for fact-checking of information leveraging the resource of the Nigeria Fact-checking Coalition (NFC) made up of fact-checking organisations, civil society groups and some credible media enterprises.

The coalition included FactCheckHub, Africa Check Dubawa, International Centre for Investigative Reporting(ICIR), Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID), FactsMatterNG, The Cable, Daily Trust, Premium Times,  The Insight, Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD) and Digital Africa Research Lab.

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