INTERNATIONAL CENTRE FOR INVESTIGATIVE REPORTING (ICIR) TRAINS 20 AE-FUNAI STUDENTS ON FACT-CHECKING
The advent of the new (social) media has led to a complete democratization of news space through citizen journalism, though with its attendant negative outcomes in form of circulation of half-truths, misinformation, disinformation, innuendoes, and sometimes outright lies on the public sphere with potential to causing serious social disharmony. These negative outcomes underscore the importance of fact-checking in news reportage.

Consequently, the International Centre for Investigative Reporting (ICIR), Abuja, a non-governmental media organization with the goal of promoting media illiteracy through the building of capacities of news reporters, has selected 20 Mass Communication students of Alex Ekwueme Federal University Ndufu-Alike, Ebonyi state, for training on fact-checking.


Rep. of VC, Prof. Abel Ezeoha, Registrar, Barr. T. Ifeanyi Igwe, HoD, Mass Communication,Dr. Vincent Odo and Director, Gender and Women Studies, Dr. Ngozi Uduma in a group photograph with ICIR team, led by Ms. Victoria Bamas and the 20 selected students of Mass Communication during the courtesy call


While welcoming the ICIR team to the university during a courtesy call, the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Sunday Elom who was represented by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Administration, Prof. Abel Ezeoha, commended the media organization for choosing the university as one of the beneficiaries of its students’ capacity building programme, and urged the selected students to take advantage of the training to enable them gain more knowledge in the areas of investigative reportage and fact checking.

He noted that the idea of partnering with universities to build the media capacities of students of Mass Communication is a noble one, stressing that the venture would help in preparing would-be journalists for their future in journalism, and requested that the training programme be sustained.


Rep. of VC, Prof. Abel Ezeoha speaking during the visit
The Vice-Chancellor maintained that the Center is doing a nice job in training future journalists in investigative news reportage, and assured of the university management’s support especially in the provision of the necessary facilities needed to make the students better in their field.

Earlier, the Head, Department of Mass Communication, Dr. Vincent Odoh commended the Vice-Chancellor for providing the department with the enabling environment to attain their goals and objectives, and for supporting the partnership with the International Center for Investigative Reporting, which led to the students’ training programme on fact checking in the university.

He averred that the training was for the good of the students in their preparation for the future as journalists of note, adding that investigative reporting and fact-checking is key in ensuring professionalism.


Ag. Head, Department of Mass Communication, Dr. Vincent Odoh speaking at the event
In her remarks, the Team Lead/Editor, ICIR, FactCheckHub, Ms. Victoria Bamas noted that the training was to build the capacity of students on how to verify or fact-check information online before disseminating to the public.

She added that the training will help students to actualize their dreams of becoming investigative Journalists through proper fact-checking of information before dissemination.


Editor, ICIR, FactCheckHub, Ms. Victoria Bamas making her remarks during the even



Team leader, Ms. Victoria Bamas presenting copies of a book titled Combating COVID-19 Misinformation in Nigeria to the rep. of VC, Prof. Abel Ezeoha while Project Coordinator, ICIR, Ms Aisha looks on