By Simon Ujah, Kaduna
Participants at the Community Initiatives to Promote Peace, CIPP, program, on its monthly forum with media on peace journalism in Kaduna on Tuesday outlines strategies media practitioners can used in tackling hate speech and terrorism on social media.
Organized by Interfaith Mediation Center, IMC, the 4th Monthly Forum with media on Peace Journalism enjoined media practitioners to do everything humanly possible to avoid yellow and conflict journalism for Peace journalism.
The participants who are mostly media executives resolved that media practitioners especially the social media in the country should always strives to balance their report in order not to undermining the on-going security challenges the country is facing in North east.
They cushioned media practitioners, social media inclusive, in the country, to shun hate and sensational journalism because of the ongoing counter terrorism and insurgency’s efforts in the North East.
“Let us be careful not to undermine the sacrificial efforts of the troops fighting the insurgents and other security agencies in order not to lower their morale.
“Media practitioners in Nigeria should see themselves as partners in progress in the fight against insurgency especially in the north east.
“They should always contact the Army authorities for balancing when reporting security issues so as not jeopardize the gradual returning of peaceful coexistence in the country, especially in north east as well as cross check their source of news before going to the press.
For the sake of security, Peace and development of our beloved country, the forum urged media in Nigeria, particularly social media, should regulate itself especially when covering and reporting on conflicts in Nigeria or mellow down their reportage.
The papers which was presented by former BBC reporter now with VOA Mall. Abdul Isa, forum urged journalists to focus more on the successes been recorded by the Operation “Lafiya Zaman Dole”, and other security agency in North Eastern part.
“They should borrow a leaf from media in the developed countries that under reported issues of security and conflicts in their various countries.”
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