The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Alhaji Mohammed Idris on Tuesday called on the media to effectively report the successes recorded by Nigerian security agencies especially the Armed Forces to boost their morale.
Idris made the call while declaring open a two-day workshop on effective reporting towards strengthening alternative terrorist ideologies for security/defence correspondents in Abuja.
The training was organised by the National Counter Terrorism Centre (OCTC) and Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) in collaboration with the National Peace Academy of the Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution.
Idris, said it is commendable to note that in advancing the frontiers of the fight against terrorism, the NCTC has sustained a strategy of regular engagement with the media.
He explained that this approach significantly contributed to shaping public perception and understanding of the complex issues surrounding terrorism and national security.
“The media holds an immense power to influence the minds, shape narratives, and promote peace.
“In the fight against terrorism, the media can either undermine or bolster our collective efforts to provide alternatives to extremist ideologies.
“Through your reports, images, and commentaries, you have the unique ability to educate, inform, and inspire resilience among the public. Therefore, your reporting plays a pivotal role in this endeavor.
“The media should continue to project successful initiatives and programmes of NCTC and ONSA that counter radicalisation as well as the rehabilitation and reintegration of repentant terrorists into the community,’’ he said..
Continuing, “I will enjoin the Defence Correspondents/Reporters to work closely with security experts, sociologists, psychologists, and community leaders to provide a multi-faceted perspective on terrorism and its alternatives.
“At all times, the media should uphold the ethics of journalism by being objective and fair and guard against sensationalism. You must also respect the dignity of victims and affected communities,” he said.
The Minister also said that sensational reporting could inadvertently glorify terrorist acts and spread fear.
He added that misinformation and fake news could be as damaging as the terrorist acts themselves and urged the media to avoid such.
He further reiterated the commitment of President Bola Tinubu’s administration to free and responsible journalism.
Also speaking, the National Security Advisor, Malam Nuhu Ribadu, said terrorist groups have continued to provide dysfunctional information through social media platforms, networking sites, and online propaganda, including mainstream and traditional mediums.
“This is a situation that we must jointly combat to attain a safe and peaceful society that will guarantee sustainable socio-economic development.
“To achieve this, the media practitioners must produce contents that would counter or prevent the appeals of terrorism and other non-state armed groups.
“Indeed, there is the need for robust media campaigns against terrorism, violent extremism and all other forms of organised crime that is threatening our corporate existence as a country,’’ he said.
Ribadu said that the workshop was part of the efforts to respond to the calls by the UN Secretary General’s Plan of Action for member states to develop and implement a national communication strategy.
“This is to ensure the dissemination of positive content across a wide range of media both traditional and digital platforms to counter terrorist appeals and violent extremist narrative,” he said.
Also speaking, Dr Bosede Awodola, the Director of National Peace Academy of the Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution, said the media remained the most credible source of news and information dissemination.
“I have no doubt therefore, that this workshop will upscale the skills of the media personnel present in their techniques of reporting and this will bring the required change to the ways terrorism ideology and activities are reported.
“The training will further improve state/media relations in our onerous and collective efforts to end terrorism in our society,” Awodola said. (NAN
