Sahara Reporters: The Factory of Fake News and Division

Omoyele Sowore of Sahara Reporters 

It has happened again. Sahara Reporters, the self-styled “fearless” online platform founded by Omoyele Sowore, has been caught spreading another poisonous piece of misinformation.

This time, the target was Katsina State. In one of its trademark sensational headlines, Sahara Reporters screamed:

“Muslim-Dominated Katsina Turns To Pastors For Peace, Approves Monthly Stipends For Christian Clerics…”

Bold, scandalous, click-worthy. But also, completely false.

The Katsina State Government swiftly issued a rebuttal through the Ministry of Information, describing the report as fake news, politically motivated, and designed to create confusion between the state and Christian communities. The statement was clear: there has never been, and there is not now, any government policy or directive approving stipends for clerics.

Katsina State Information Commissioner, Dr. Bala Salisu Zango 

So why publish it? Simple. To stir religious suspicion. To pit Christian against Muslim, clerics against politicians, and people against their government. That’s the Sahara Reporters formula.

Let’s be frank: Omoyele Sowore did not build Sahara Reporters into a respected newsroom. He built it into a rumor mill that profits from outrage. Its business model is simple: throw out an unverified allegation, package it with a provocative headline, and sit back as Nigerians fight in the comments section.

The problem is, this isn’t harmless gossip. In a country as diverse and sensitive as Nigeria, one fake headline can set communities on fire. Sahara Reporters knows this. And yet, repeatedly, it pushes out falsehoods—because outrage is profitable.

This isn’t a one-off slip. Sahara Reporters has a long history of lies, mischief, and court cases. A few examples will refresh your memory:

1. Nasiru Danu’s Lawsuit (2022): Businessman Nasiru Danu sued Sahara Reporters for defamation. The court agreed with him, awarding damages against the platform. The ruling exposed Sahara’s reckless reporting and confirmed what many already knew: they publish without evidence.

2. Olalekan Fatodu Case (2017): Sahara Reporters accused PR consultant Lekan Fatodu of shady arms deals. He dragged them to court. While the case was dismissed on technical grounds, Fatodu paid ₦500,000 in costs. The case highlighted how Sahara’s stories can damage reputations without substantiation.

3. The Buhari “Jubril from Sudan” Saga (2017): Remember the wild conspiracy theory that President Buhari had died and been replaced by a Sudanese double? Sahara Reporters gleefully amplified that nonsense, feeding distrust in government at the highest levels.

4. COVID-19 Palliatives (2020): In the middle of a national crisis, Sahara Reporters ran unverified stories accusing officials of looting COVID funds. No proof, no balance—just a story crafted to spark outrage.

5. Attorney General Malami Smear (2020): Sahara Reporters published allegations that Abubakar Malami bought a ₦300 million mansion and chartered jets for his son’s wedding. Malami publicly dismissed the report as fabricated lies. Sahara never provided proof.

6. Global Trouble – U.S. Court Case: Former Nigerian ambassador Lilian Onoh even sued Sahara Reporters in a Texas court over false claims of financial misconduct. The case was dismissed on jurisdiction, but it showed the platform’s global reach in defaming reputations.

Let’s stop pretending. What Sahara Reporters does is not journalism. Journalism requires facts, balance, and responsibility. What Sahara does is incitement.

When you publish a fake story about religious stipends in Katsina, you aren’t informing citizens—you’re trying to make Christians suspicious of Muslims, and Muslims suspicious of Christians. You’re planting seeds of conflict in a state where peace and tolerance are vital.

This isn’t just unethical. In many cases, it borders on criminal, because deliberate falsehood that can cause violence falls under incitement.

Governor Dikko Umaru Radda’s response could not be clearer:

“Our communities thrive when we choose peace, fact-based reporting, and cooperation rather than rumor-mongering.”

That’s the path responsible leaders—and responsible journalists—should walk. The administration has consistently affirmed its commitment to religious tolerance, protection of all faith communities, and peaceful coexistence. But Sahara Reporters would rather misrepresent those efforts, for clicks and cheap political points.

Sahara Reporters has built a reputation not as a beacon of truth, but as a factory of fake news. From fabricated scandals, to sectarian baiting, to outright defamation, the pattern is clear.

If Sowore and his team want to be taken seriously, they must return to the basics of journalism: verify facts, seek balance, and correct errors. Until then, Nigerians must treat their reports with extreme caution.

We as citizens must stop rewarding lies with clicks. Verify information through official government channels, reputable media, and trusted institutions. Don’t be quick to share, don’t let anger guide you, and don’t allow fake news merchants to profit from our divisions.

Because journalism is meant to build societies, not destroy them. And as long as Sahara Reporters continues to weaponize fake news, Nigerians must learn to reject their propaganda—loudly and consistently.

The truth is powerful, but only if we demand it. Let’s demand better.