The vice chairman of the Kaduna Peace Commission, Mr. Saleh Momaleh, has called on journalists in Nigeria to focus on stories that promote peace and understanding among the members of the public.
The call was made during a monthly forum organised by the interfaith mediation center (IMC) in conjunction with the community initiative to promote peace (CIPP) and the Kaduna Peace Commission (KPC).
Momaleh said the nation is witnessing challenges as criminal activities are on the rise, especially in Kaduna and other parts of the northern region.
He lamented over the increase in the number of kidnappings in the state, especially in the month of March 2022, and urged the state government and the security agencies to redouble their efforts in addressing the problem.
While expressing his pleasure with the level of reportage by journalists covering peace and conflict in Kaduna state, he also urged the general public to desist from posting inciting comments and images on their social media handles while maintaining decorum.
In her remarks, Barr. Rebecca Sako John said that people must be cautious of their utterances, especially those involving security matters.
She called on political leaders to desist from using words that would incite the public, adding that they should desist from using youths as political thugs.
Also speaking, a former chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Kaduna chapter, Mr. Andrew Fadason, said that there is a problem with intra-communication between the media and their audience.
He called on journalists to be professional in their reporting, especially in the choice of words, so as to avoid escalating tension in society.
“The media should not hide any information but should be more objective in their reportage as media practitioners.”
Sharing information that promotes understanding amongst the members of the public is paramount as it would assist security in addressing insecurity in the land.
He did, however, commend the media for its role in dissipating societal tensions and urged members of the public to refrain from using religious coloration in security issues.
The monthly forum is an overview in which journalists and stakeholders brainstorm on major security matters at the state level and the nation at large.
