The Kebbi State Government has announced it will not tolerate false narratives aimed at undermining its efforts to promote good governance.
Governor Nasir Idris made this statement on Sunday during a visit to the Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF)-supported Malnutrition Stabilisation and Treatment Centres at Maiyama General Hospital in Maiyama Local Government Area.
“This visit is to personally verify the authenticity of a recent viral report claiming that no fewer than 400 malnourished children are admitted daily in this centre.
“It has now come to light that 1,406 children have been admitted here since September 2024, when the centre was established; this is a fair ratio.
“It is simply not possible that 400 children are admitted daily. If that were true, it will mean over 2,000 children are being admitted every week, which is clearly unrealistic,” Idris said.
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He expressed confidence in MSF’s credibility and professionalism, urging the organisation to prevent its activities from being exploited for political purposes.
“We recognise the important work MSF is doing around the world and in Kebbi State in particular.
“However, this particular report is misleading and amounts to fake news. MSF must not allow its platform to be used to spread falsehoods or to malign the state government,” he said.
The governor noted that while his administration welcomes constructive criticism from well-intentioned individuals and organisations, it will not tolerate false narratives aimed at discrediting its efforts.
He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to supporting MSF in its humanitarian and medical interventions across the state.
“MSF is a recognised partner of both the United Nations and the Federal Government. We appreciate the scope of its health interventions in Kebbi, and we remain committed to collaborating with them for the good of our people,” he said.
Idris reiterated that his administration is dedicated to improving the well-being of all residents and will continue to implement people-focused projects to enhance healthcare delivery and overall development.
He expressed satisfaction that MSF’s head office had dismissed the false report about malnutrition figures published in a national newspaper.
Earlier, Dr Hamza Bello of MSF guided the governor around the centre, including the Inpatient Therapeutic Feeding Centres.
During the visit, the Commissioner for Health, Alhaji Yunusa Isma’il, praised MSF for its significant efforts in improving the state’s health indices.
He also thanked the governor for his timely and proactive visit, describing it as significant.