By Ibrahim Kaulahi, Gusau
The Commandant of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) Zamfara State Command, Mohammed Bello Mu’azu, has called on the media to eschew the idea of heartbreaking reportage on election matters especially as efforts were on ground for continued relevant peace restoration in the state and country at large.
Commandant Mu’azu made the plea during a meeting with working Journalists in the state which was titled ‘Capacity Building and The Role of Media in News Reportage in the 2023 General Elections’ held today (Saturday) at conference hall of the Ministry for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs in Gusau the state capital.
The aim of the meeting as according to Commandant Mu’azu, was to make a bond between the NSCDC and the working Journalists in stance of ensuring ‘Crime-free Zamfara’ before, during and after the upcoming general elections.
He said, ‘No security must prosper without cordial working relationship with media professionals for their being the fourth estate of the realm in the constitution, therefore, I called on the members of the noble profession to for the sake keeping Nigeria one, to do away with fake and unbalanced stories”.
Commandant Mu’azu further noted that, a piece of unverifiable, false and fake disseminated report which might have been selfishly wrote to please some unpatriotic politicians, can easily incite violence in the electoral process which may at end can lead to further destructions and killings of innocent lives.
“I will as a Commandant of the NSCDC Zamfara State, want to assure the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Zamfara State Council and all the working Journalists in the state, that my doors would opened wider for clarifications and verifications of anything hazy pertaining operations by the men of the NSCDC.
“Part of Media roles in electoral process was to help create calmness for both INEC officials and election materials, eligible voters and the society in general, for this therefore, I look forward for your unreserved cooperation in the fights against publication of false reports capable of inciting unrest in our fragile state”, Commandant Mu’azu has pleaded.
The Chairman of the NUJ, Comrade Ibrahim Musa Maizare while responding, assured the NSCDC of must needed cooperation, adding that, members of the pen profession do not write their reports while ‘Head on Pillow’, but rather visit to find out the happenings for balancing before compiling reports for publication.
Maizare further informed the NSCDC that, in most cases, editors working at the headquarters of Media outfits across the country do not just publish reports without seeking defence of the stories from their reporters before they finally make them ready for public consumption.
