MPAC accuses Channels Television of misleading viewers on Maiduguri mosque bombing
*Calls for NBC sanctions, says “Muslim lives matter. Truth matters. And the media must be held to account”
By KEMI KASUMU
Clarifying the statement said, “This is not about suppressing press freedom. It is about protecting public trust and preventing dangerous narratives that can deepen divisions and endanger lives. Nigeria needs responsible journalism – not editorial gambits that trade accuracy for outrage. Muslim lives matter. Truth matters. And the media must be held to account.”
In what appears to be their wake up effort to achieve a paradigm shift exposing how Muslims’ plights have been underreported or not reported leading to rise in what United States of America termed Christian genocide amidst insecurity in Nigeria, the Muslim Public Affairs Centre (MPAC), Nigeria, has strongly condemned what it calls the misleading, insensitive, and deeply troubling editorial decision by Channels Television in its reportage of the bombing of a mosque at a market in Maiduguri, Borno State.
The Centre in a statement signed by its Executive Chairman, Alhaji Disu Kamor, MPAC Nigeria explained that the incident in question was a bomb attack on a mosque, resulting in the death of five Muslim worshippers and injuries to over thirty-five others.
It, however, wondered how it did not occur to Channels Television – a professional body recognised by the Constitution to discharge fair, accurate and balanced reportage for the growth and development of the society – that the utmost of its professional might was the required basis for justice in the incident.
Its broadcast of the news created the impression on internet record, by implication, that the Maiduguri mosque attack was actually on Christians.
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“It was an attack on innocent civilians engaged in worship – an act that security sources and public authorities have rightly described as barbaric and reprehensible.
“However, Channels Television, in its caption and framing of the story, deliberately omitted any reference to the mosque and the Muslim identity of the victims, while introducing an entirely unrelated and inflammatory reference to “Christmas Eve.” This insertion is not only factually unnecessary, it is editorially reckless.
“We ask, plainly and without equivocation: What is the relevance of Christmas to a bomb attack on a mosque in Maiduguri? The answer, regrettably, points to a dangerous pattern. Evidence shows that the report was initially published without any reference to Christmas, only for the phrase to be inserted later – clearly to drive engagement, provoke emotion, and potentially inflame religious tensions in an already fragile national context.
“Notably, most foreign media outlets have reported this tragic news with both clarity and accuracy, highlighting the mosque attack and the Muslim victims without sensationalism. This stark contrast underscores the deliberate bias in Channels Television’s reporting.
“This action raises serious concerns about intentional manipulation, institutional bias, and the weaponization of language in media reporting. MPAC notes with deep concern that this is not an isolated incident.
“Channels Television has, on multiple occasions, demonstrated intense hostility against Islam and a tendency to downplay, distort, or obscure stories involving Muslim victims, often erasing their religious identity while amplifying narratives that invite suspicion, fear, or hostility toward Islam and Muslims.
“When Muslim lives are lost, their identities are muted. When Muslim spaces are attacked, the spaces are unnamed. When Muslim pain is reported, politics is inserted. This is unacceptable in a plural, multi-religious society such as Nigeria.
“The Maiduguri mosque bombing was a human tragedy, and the nation must be allowed to honour the victims, dead and injured. Families lost loved ones, worshippers were maimed and community was traumatized. Yet, Channels Television only saw an opportunity to play politics of division and sensationalism.
“To editorialize such suffering for clicks, ratings, or sectarian undertones is to play politics with blood. Media institutions wield enormous power. With that power comes responsibility – especially in a country where careless words can ignite violence.”
Continuing, MPAC “hereby calls for the following: – Immediate intervention by the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) to investigate Channels Television’s editorial conduct in this report and apply appropriate sanctions in line with the Nigeria Broadcasting Code.
“- A public explanation and retraction from Channels Television, including a correction that accurately identifies the location, nature of the attack, and the identity of the victims.
“- An investigation by relevant security agencies into whether the altered framing was intended to provoke religious tension or public disorder.
“- A renewed commitment from media organizations to ethical journalism that prioritizes truth, balance, and social responsibility over sensationalism.”
Clarifying the statement said, “This is not about suppressing press freedom. It is about protecting public trust and preventing dangerous narratives that can deepen divisions and endanger lives. Nigeria needs responsible journalism – not editorial gambits that trade accuracy for outrage.
“Muslim lives matter. Truth matters. And the media must be held to account.”
