A recent condolence visit by the Minister of State for Works, Barrister Bello Muhammad Goronyo, has been wrongly reported as a response to a fatal blast in Sokoto State.
The misinformation, which appeared across several media outlets including ours, claimed that the minister had visited affected communities following an explosion that reportedly killed six people.
However, the Minister’s Special Assistant on Media, Salihu Dantata Mahmud, has come forward to clarify the situation and express dismay over the misrepresentation.
“We regret the error in our earlier report,” he said, emphasising that the minister’s visit was purely personal and had no connection to any explosion.
Salihu noted that Hon. Goronyo was in Sokoto to console close associates and supporters who had lost family members. The visits were strictly private and unconnected to any security incident.
He said the minister used the Sallah period to reconnect with constituents and also took time to brief the media on the achievements of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration, particularly in road infrastructure development.
“As a professional myself, I was deeply embarrassed by the headlines pushed out by some online platforms and radio stations,” Salihu stated.
He insisted that the original press statement was clear and questioned why certain outlets decided to alter the narrative.
“Professionalism requires that media houses report facts as provided, not fabricate attention-grabbing headlines,” he added.
Salihu called on journalists and media organisations to uphold ethical standards and verify information before publishing, especially when reporting on sensitive matters.
This incident has once again brought to light the importance of accuracy and responsibility in journalism.
