BO Foundation for Inclusive Media (BOFIM), in partnership with Witness, recently concluded a series of comprehensive training sessions under its initiative, The Verifiers.
The training sessions equipped journalists with the skills to combat misinformation and uphold ethical reporting standards.
Blessing Oladunjoye, BOFIM’s Executive Director, encouraged participants to consistently utilize the tools they were taught to persistently tackle the proliferation of misinformation.
“We believe that this training will empower our Verifiers to produce high-quality, accurate reports,” she said. “Moreover, we are particularly proud to have disability rights advocates and women actively participating in this program. This is part of our commitment to inclusivity and ensuring that all communities are represented in the fight for human rights.”
BOFIM promised to continue to focus on equipping the journalists with the tools needed to fight misinformation and disinformation.
The first session, led by CeCe Siago of Nation Media Group, Kenya, tackled the pervasive threats of misinformation, disinformation, and malinformation. Siago underscored how these forms of false information mislead the public, particularly through social media platforms like Twitter, TikTok, and WhatsApp. “These platforms flood us with information, much of it unreliable. Journalists must verify content—especially viral stories—before sharing,” she said, emphasizing the critical role of diligence in curbing the spread of falsehoods.
In the second session, Georgia Edwards, Program Coordinator for Video as Evidence at Witness, introduced journalists to Open-Source Intelligence (OSINT) and verification tools. She explained that OSINT goes beyond simply finding online images—it involves sophisticated techniques to authenticate digital content.
“Open-source information is not just about looking for images online; it’s about using various techniques and methods to assess, corroborate, and verify the footage or evidence you encounter,” Edwards said.
She highlighted the increasing spread of misinformation, especially around human rights issues, and stressed the importance of verifiable evidence in investigative journalism.
The third training, conducted by Youri Van Der Weide, founder and trainer at Bellingcat, focused on the essentials of verification. Participants were introduced to different verification techniques like cross-referencing sources, using geolocation tools, and analyzing metadata.
Van Der Weide emphasized that verification requires a systematic approach. “Journalists must develop a habit of questioning everything and verifying from multiple angles before drawing conclusions,” he explained.
In the concluding training session, facilitated by Simbiat Bakare of DUBAWA West Africa, journalists were empowered with the critical skills required to authenticate information and produce precise, reliable fact-check reports.
Participants were guided through practical techniques and best practices to ensure accuracy and integrity in their work, fostering a deeper understanding and essential steps of fact-checking, while emphasizing research, documentation, and ethical reporting.
Using a case study on a fake death announcement, she demonstrated verification steps, starting with forensic image analysis. “It’s not enough to call a claim false—readers need a step-by-step breakdown of how you reached that conclusion,” she said.
Bakare also stressed the importance of structuring fact-check reports properly. She explained that every fact-check must include a clear headline that reflects the verification details.
According to her, journalists must conduct thorough research and provide a step-by-step breakdown of their findings.
To demonstrate the process, Bakare presented a case study on verifying a fake death announcement. She walked participants through the verification steps, starting with forensic analysis of the image in question.
Bakare further emphasized the need for transparency in fact-checking. She urged participants and journalist in general to document each step of verification process rather than making baseless claims.
According to her, simply stating that a claim is false without explaining how the conclusion was reached is not enough. “Every piece of evidence must be clearly presented so that readers can understand the verification process”. She said
She also emphasized the importance of thorough research and proper documentation. She advised that if a journalist searches Google and finds no evidence of a claim, it should be mentioned in the report.
“Fact-checkers should also ensure they include credible links and specify when and where the claim originated”. She cautioned.
According to Bakare, editing and review are crucial steps in the fact-checking process. She not only recommended using tools like Grammarly to check for errors but also suggested leaving a report for a day before reviewing it again to spot mistakes.
“If possible, journalists should ask a colleague to edit their work”. She explained. ” A good fact-check is not just about research but also about producing well-written and easily understandable reports.”
Bakare also noted that a fact-check is incomplete until it is published. She urged participants to ensure their reports are approved and released, rather than assuming their work is done after submission.
“One major mistake fact-checkers often make is failing to follow up on their reports. If you have the authority to publish, double-check for errors before making the report public.
Bakare further encouraged participants to improve their fact-checking skills by reading other verified reports. She explained that no matter the topic, someone has likely conducted a similar verification before. “Studying existing fact-checks, you learn to structure their reports, identify key sources, and apply best practices inthe job done”.
She also emphasized that strong fact-checks rely on multiple forms of evidence. Combining forensic analysis, reverse image searches, and expert testimony can strengthen a report’s credibility.
Ethical considerations were another major point of discussion. Bakare reminded participants that accuracy should never be sacrificed for speed. She stressed that publishing misinformation—even unintentionally—can harm public trust. Fact-checkers must take their responsibility seriously and ensure their work meets the highest ethical standards.
Through The Verifiers, BOFIM and its expert trainers have empowered journalists to fight misinformation with robust tools and uphold ethical standards, ensuring their work informs rather than misleads the public.