From Ifeoma Ejiofor
Anambra State government has debunked the new burial law that circulated in social media and some National dailies on Monday.
The disclaimer was contained in a press statement signed by the State Commissioner for Information, Law Mefor PhD made available to journalists on Tuesday.
Mefor said that in the malicious new burial law, outrageous restrictions, including a ban on the use of cows and goats at condolence visits are imposed.
“This report is entirely false, baseless, and a deliberate act of misinformation. For the record: No new burial law has been passed by Governor Soludo’s administration. The subsisting Anambra Burial Law is the 2019 law signed by former Governor Willie Obiano.
“The claims being circulated are not contained in any section of the 2019 Anambra Burial Law. The assertion that cows and goats are banned at condolence visits is a fabrication designed to mislead the public and incite unnecessary outrage,” he said.
Mefor said it is disappointing and irresponsible that established media houses would abandon basic verification and become conduits for viral fake news.
He pointed out that journalism demands accuracy, balance, and a duty to verify claims before publication noting that by failing to do so, the outlets concerned have undermined public trust and contributed to the spread of misinformation.
Mefor urged the public to disregard the fake news in its entirety even as he called on media organizations to uphold professional standards and desist from publishing unverified reports that can cause public disaffection.