The Nigerian Press Council (NPC), in collaboration with Forte and Heinz Limited, organised a workshop on the Role of the Media in Combating Violent Extremism and Terrorism in Nigeria on November 3 and 4, 2021.
The workshop, attended by journalists from the five States in the South East Zone of the country, was aimed at training the participants on how the Media, through their reportage, can combat terrorism in Nigeria.
Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Abia State, Barr. Eze Chikamnayo, declared the workshop open.
Welcoming the participants, the Executive Secretary of NPC, Mr. Francis N. Nwosu, said the concern of the Council was not on why the media cover or report terrorism but how they report or cover it.
Nwosu added that the workshop was aimed at enhancing the instrumentality and capacity of media professionals on how to report, especially in a multi-ethnic country like Nigeria and to seek how the media could report on how the activities of terrorists could be mitigated.
At the end of the workshop, it was resolved as follows:
1. That the Media has a crucial role to play in combating violent extremism and terrorism in the country through their reportage
2. That to achieve this goal, media professionals must be guided by the ethics of the profession by presenting balanced, unbiased and factual news reports and analysis, devoid of sensationalism and stereotyping
3. That media professionals, as a matter of responsibility, should strive to use official, credible and trusted sources of information while reporting terrorism
4. That Media professionals should be in the forefront of promoting peace journalism in the country by publishing news reports and analysis that discourage violent extremism and terrorism but emphasise on peace and unity of the country.
5. That since media reports embolden terrorists, the media should reduce the attention given to terrorists and terrorist activities in their reportage. In other words, the media should stop giving undue publicity to terrorism and terrorist activities; as well as types of coverage that may portray media as accomplices of terrorists
6. That the media should employ their professional skills in maintaining the delicate balance between the Public’s right to know and National interest to avoid setting the country on fire
7.That the media must stop making itself an asset for the terrorists by shifting from the current drive for Breaking News to prioritizing public safety and National interest and responsible journalism
8.That the media should be very careful in publishing reports in order not to wittingly or unwittingly help extremists or terrorists to achieve their primary goal of spreading fear and sowing the seed of discord among the people or communities in the country
9. That the media, as a means of countering terrorism, should engage in confidence and solution building through its reportage
10. That there is the need for improved networking among media houses/professionals on the one hand and the media with other stakeholders, particularly, the security agencies to tame escalating terrorism in the country
11. That Journalists covering terrorism should be mandatorily equipped with adequate resources to enhance networking among journalists working in their line of duty
12.That there is need to expose journalists to adequate training on contemporary terrorism and its dynamics to enable them to report intelligently and the use of ICT to report terrorism, as well as general media literacy.
13. That the media should begin to use its power to sensitize the public on terrorists’ attacks, security measures and how to react in case of terror attacks.
14.That the risky nature of their job, and given the fact that they render great services to the nation and society, Journalists in Nigeria should enjoy enviable welfare packages, including robust insurance policy so that in the event of death in the line of duty, the family of the journalist will not suffer.
15. The participants commended the Nigerian Press Council for organising the knowledge enriching workshop.
MR. FRANCIS N. NWOSU
VICTOR NDUKWE
Executive Secretary, Chairman, NUJ, Abia State
Nigerian Press Council
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