Kogi High Court denies issuing order to deregister National Democratic Congress

●Court dismisses viral social media report as “false and misleading,” warns against fake news targeting the judiciary

The Kogi State High Court has dismissed as false and misleading a viral social media report claiming that it ordered the deregistration of the National Democratic Congress (NDC).

In a statement issued Thursday in Lokoja by the Court’s Chief Information Officer, Saqeeb Saeed, the court said it neither handled nor determined any case relating to the registration or deregistration of the NDC or any other political party in Nigeria.

—“Mischievous impression”—

The court noted that the misleading publication was accompanied by photographs of the Chief Judge of Kogi, Justice Josiah Majebi, and former Governor Yahaya Bello.

According to the statement, the use of the photographs was intended to create “a mischievous impression that the purported decision emanated from the high court.”

“The High Court of Justice, Kogi State, neither handled nor determined any case relating to the registration or deregistration of the National Democratic Congress or any other political party,” the statement read.

—Court says report undermines judicial integrity—

The court said it would ordinarily not have responded to the publication but deemed it necessary to set the record straight because of the report’s potential to “undermine the integrity and dignity of the judiciary.”

It urged members of the public, particularly content creators, to verify facts before publishing information capable of misleading the public.

“The dissemination of false information capable of tarnishing the image of judges and the High Court of Justice or other courts under its administrative control will no longer be tolerated,” the court warned.

—Public urged to disregard fake report—

The Kogi High Court called on the public to disregard the social media publication.

It reaffirmed its commitment to “dispensing justice fairly, diligently and without fear or favour.”

The clarification comes amid growing concerns over the spread of fake news and doctored content targeting public institutions and judicial officers online.