By Peter Duru, Makurdi

The Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD) West Africa has concluded a three-day launch workshop for its Youth and Media Fellowship Program on Countering Misinformation, Disinformation, and Hate Speech (MDH) in Benue State.

The workshop, held from March 24 to 26, 2026, in Otukpo, brought together 15 selected media practitioners and freelancers drawn from Otukpo, Obi, and Gwer-West Local Government Areas, LGAs, of the state.

Speaking on the initiative, CDD Program Staff, Raji Olatunji, said the six-month fellowship is part of the ongoing “Strengthening Community Resilience Against Disinformation and Hate Speech in Northern Nigeria” project, supported by the Netherlands Embassy.

According to him, the programme is designed to equip grassroots journalists, bloggers, and content creators with the skills needed to counter harmful narratives fueling conflict and division.

He explained that the Fellowship is structured around weekly publications, with fellows creating editorial pieces that debunk false or misleading claims and provide fact-based explainers on MDH issues affecting their immediate communities and Benue at large.

“Five experienced media professionals have been assigned as mentors to provide editorial guidance and ensure all output meets the Centre’s counter-MDH standards,” he said.

During the launch workshop, fellows engaged in MDH landscape mapping exercises to identify trending false narratives, from fake emergency alerts and health misinformation to ethnic stereotyping and political disinformation spreading across both online and offline channels.

“They learned to apply a standardised counter-MDH reporting structure featuring clear, evidence-based headlines, detailed verification processes, transparent sourcing, and neutral verdicts, while adhering to strict ethical guardrails that prioritise safety, dignity, and impact responsibility.

“The workshop established a structured content pipeline for the engagement between the fellows and mentors during the program period.

“The fellowship seeks to address the critical challenge of MDH spreading among vulnerable populations, including youth, rural communities with limited media access, and women and minority groups.

“The program contributes to CDD’s broader #TruthNaPower campaign and represents a part of the strategic commitment to building long-term media literacy and information resilience in Benue as one of Nigeria’s most conflict-affected states,” he added.