How to examine what you read for factual information (3)

The era of disinformation is here. Disinformation refers to campaigns to saturate the info space with deceptive information with the intention of swaying public opinion or to achieve certain objectives. This implies that most of what you read on the internet and newspapers have been written to largely reflect interests which could be local, religious, tribal, regional, international or even psychological. The success of such disinformation campaign is evident in the large numbers of people (even on Nairaland) who believe everything served especially if it conforms to their emotional, religious, tribal or psychological prerogatives.

So how can we distinguish between reality and fiction, facts and deceptions? This often depends on the level of knowledge and understanding of the content and language by the reader. The rules to apply are flexible and adaptable to all info space sources. Certain differences may be discerned when we look at political post but the technique is generally the same. In this and other posts (if I have the time) we shall look at how to interpret what we read for credible information and facts.

Disclaimer: Any news article or post examined is for educational purposes only. I accept no liability from any action, loss or gain that may arise from using the skills or methods described in this post.

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Example 4

News: Rivers police arraign 45 Pro-Biafran agitators for treason

Journalistic summary of the news- Hint: Note the subtle attempt to confer legitimacy on IPOB and MASSOB by mentioning them together with the police whereas they are unregistered/proscribed bodies unknown to Nigerian law. It also describes what happened as an 'agitation', but for what?

The Rivers State Police Command yesterday arraigned 45 members of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, and the Movement for the Actualisation of Sovereign State of Biafra, MASSOB, before two Chief Magistrate Courts sitting in Port Harcourt for treason over their alleged involvement in the Friday agitation in Rivers State.

Fact- A rally was organised but the news blames the police outright without presenting us with accounts from both sides as to what transpired. Hint: Note the use of the word 'America', 'solidarity' and 'rally' with the unregistered/proscribed members implying peace and the association of 'disrupted' with the police before even presenting the reason of 'no permit'. It then unthinkingly labelled the members as 'Pro-Biafran agitators' which leans towards the treason allegation. The issue of permit and treason are very different and the reportage seems confused on which it thinks is applicable. Interestingly, the police arrested 65 before disrupting the rally. We need a video reportage, not clip, from beginning to end so we can make a good judgement of what happened at the rally.

The members of the IPOB and the MASSOB had on Friday, organised a solidarity rally to commemorate the swearing in of Mr Donald Trump as the new American president.
But the security operatives in the state arrested over 65 of them and disrupted the rally, claiming that the Pro-Biafran agitators did not obtain permit before commencing the peaceful protest.

Fact- Verifiable information based on court proceedings. Note the reportage now substantiates the treason offence by quoting copiously from the court proceedings. The rest of the reportage is about court processes in dispensing justice which looks very slow. Hint: Note the charges under state and federal laws and the words 'conspire amongst yourselves to commit felony', 'treasonable felony', 'displaying flags and other items of the Biafran Republic', 'take over the government of Nigeria by force'. This are serious charges if they can be proved in court. Unless there is information to the contrary it seems the issue of treason and not rally permit seems valid here.

The Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr. Francis Odesanya charged the arrested persons to court on two counts of conspiracy to felony and treasonable felony.
Seven of them were arraigned before Chief Magistrate Obi Amadi-Nna and the remaining 38 brought before the Chief Magistrate, Sokari Andrew-Jaja.
The Charge sheet No: PMC/112C/2017 read: “That you Baco Johnson, Cosmos Monday, Chinonso Kalu and 42 others on January 20, 2017 at Garrison Bus stop, Port Harcourt in the Port Harcourt Magisterial District did conspire amongst yourselves to commit felony to wit: treasonable felony and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 516A (1) of the Criminal Code Cap 37 Vol II Laws of Rivers State of Nigeria, 1999.
“That you, Baco Johnson, Cosmos Monday, Chinonso Kalu and 42 others on the same date and time and place in the aforesaid Magisterial District did conduct yourselves in a manner likely to force or compel the president to change his measures, by displaying flags and other items of the Biafran Republic with such intention by an act to take over the government of Nigeria by force and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 41(C) of the Criminal Code Cap 37 Vol II Laws of Rivers State of Nigeria, 1999.”
When the court sat around 6:22 pm, the Chief Magistrate, Mr. Sokari Andrew-Jaja, adjourned the matter till January 30 and asked the parties involved in the matter to appear on the adjourned date with their written addresses.
Andrew-Jaja stated that the adjourned date would be for the adoption of written addresses, in order to determine whether the court has the jurisdiction to hear the matter and remanded the suspects in prison.
However, the Chief Magistrate, Mr. Obi Amadi-Nna, who received seven of the suspects also remanded them in prison and adjourned till January 30 for adoption of written addresses on the same offences.

Verdict: The news is cleverly written to pander to a dual readership. The first part confuses the gullible while the latter part correctly presents verifiable information on the official reaction to what happened. We only know a rally held and 65 were arrested and charged with serious offences. As to what really happened, little information is provided and we are given the choice of police suppression or violation of Nigerian laws as a causative reason. The reader is left to speculate or conclude based on his preconceptions or leanings.



Example 5

News: Reps summon Kachikwu, GMD NNPC, NPA over petrol pump price

Journalistic summary of the news- The emphasis on who was invited and the words 'the need to review the pump price of fuel'. This subtly implies fuel prices must be reviewed. Note that unlike ia obtainable in America, Nigeria's legislature resolutions have no power unless it is enacted by both upper and lower chambers.

THE House of Representatives Ad-hoc Committee on review of petroleum pump price, yesterday, summoned the Minister of State for Petroleum, Dr Ibe Kachikwu; Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, and Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority, NPA, to appear before it on the need to review the pump price of fuel.

Speculation- A simple price analysis would have been more effective instead of verbal pleadings of the unions to the House committee not to allow an increase because it is 'not the right time' and because of dollar payments to Government agencies. No extra information is provided and readers are required to believe this without any attempt at economic analysis of what is going on.

This came as Nigerian Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, NUPENG, and its Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, PENGASSAN, counterpart, told the committee that on no account should marketers be allowed to increase the pump price of petrol, saying “this is not the right time to review the pricing template of PMS.”
Also, Obafemi Olawore, Executive Secretary, Major Marketers Association of Nigeria, MOMAN, said the fact that importers pay Nigeria Maritime Agency for Safety Administration, NIMASA, and the Nigerian Ports Authority, NPA, in dollar was putting a great strain on the naira.

Speculation- Which stakeholders? Still no price analysis to convince readers. Hint: Note the emotive allusion to the suffering of Nigerians as a cogent reason.

Similarly, some stakeholders at the public hearing, including some lawmakers, were of the opinion that the current pump price was too high and that it should be brought down to ameliorate the sufferings of Nigerians.

Speculation- Hint: Note the subtle tribal wargames begin Igbo vs Hausa/Fulani. The reportage gives no proofs rather than state the allegation and playing on the emotive issue of suffering Nigerians.

The Raphael Nnanna Igbokwe-led Ad-hoc committee in the two-day public hearing had accused a number of government agencies of contributing to the astronomical price of petrol, which is currently causing Nigerians pains.

Falsehood- Ports the world over charge berthing ships depending on cargo. So, if 84 kobo/litre is abolished we get a reduction of what on each litre. Something does not add up. A quick check of the internet shows NPA has been collecting 45 - 84 kobo on each liter since 2011. Is this an attempt to deprive the nation of revenue or a genuine attempt to give Nigerians much needed relieve?

The lawmakers said the NPA was not doing enough to justify the 84 kobo/litre collected from importers, adding that NPA would not have been able to justify the amount it was collecting if the seas were dredged and vessels not engaged on ship-to-ship discharging of products that add to costs of products and loss of revenue for the country.

Unethical- Hint: Note the house seems to be in a permanent battle of supremacy and control over heads of government agencies with its limited powers. This smacks of incompetence. The focus should have been on which information was provided and which was not provided.

Igbokwe, who represents Ahiazu Mbaise/Ezinihitte federal constituency of Imo State, insisted that the MD of NPA must attend today’s public hearing, saying the Acting General Manager, Mr. Ephraim Okoro, who represented him, lacked the capacity to answer all the questions of the committee.

Fact- As presented by the PPPRA. Hint: note that nothing was said on how reducing or abolishing the 30 kobo charge by the PPPRA will benefit Nigerians or the 84 kobo charge by the NPA.

On its part, Petroleum Products Prices Regulatory Agency, PPPRA, represented by its Executive Secretary, Victor Shidok, told the committee that the 30 kobo administrative charge on petrol was for services such as data capturing and monitoring by staff deployed to depots across the country.

Whoa- The committee will now perform the functions of an auditor. What stops it from ordering an audit so that it can focus on other important issues. Where is the annual audit report from the auditor general? But what about the legislature budget audit for the last few years since it can now do audits. Seems the committee is patronizing Nigerians.

The committee, however, insisted that the agency must present its list of inspectors engaged from 2012 till date, amounts paid, copies of agreements entered into with them and proof of payment
The agency will also provide proof of total amount received as administrative charges from 2012 to date.

Verdict: The news informs of a house committee investigation into a rumored fuel price increase. It provides no proof of the increase and subtly attributes the price increase to the 84 and 30 kobo charge by governmental agencies. It ignores the unstable price of the dollar and the corrupt practices of the fuel importers in its reportage. It also propagates ignorance rather than educate readership by not presenting a simple price analysis but rather blaming government and its agencies. This piece is not news but a disguised anti-government write-up for readers to speculate on.

Educative