National Security Adviser (NSA), Sambo Dasuki, has urged the media to shun reporting the negative ideology of terrorists released in video clips and reflect positive activities of the nation’s military.
The NSA spoke at the opening ceremony of a three day retreat on Media Relations organized by his Office and Trim Communications in Abuja today.
The NSA who was represented by Professor Soji Adenaja said: “we know for a fact that Boko Haram’s key strategy is to use video to perpetrate and communicate their extreme ideology and that ideology is not sympathetic to values that we all share as Nigerian citizens to uphold this country.”
He added that: “So it is extremely important for the media to exercise the responsibility that is ascribed to them in the constitution. One responsibility is to report very clearly and fairly, and another is to remember, that our media are citizens of this country, and have responsibility to promote our national interest.”
Also speaking, the Chairman of the occasion retired General Martin Luther Agwai called on the media to balance the interest of the people and government in their reportage of sensitive situations.
He noted that: “a newspaper that only tells part of the truth is a million times more preferable than one that tells all the truth and harms the country.”
In a paper presentation, former Nigeria Television Authority, Director General Tony Iredia said the role of the media is to undertake surveillance, draw attention and serve as an agency that brings early warning signals.
He also said section 22 of the constitution states that the media must hold society accountable, stressing that: “I can’t cancel my on mandate because you have a gun.”
Papers were also presented by the Director of Defence Information Major General Chris Olukolade, Professor Pat Utomi, Dr Tom Adaba Chairman Trim Communication and Rageh Omaar from Independent Television (ITV) London.
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