by Christiana Gokyo, Jos
Journalists have been charged to build trust and promote togetherness as one of the ethics of the professional discipline, because security, accountability are dependable role of the Media in a democratic society.
This was disclosed at one-day training by the General Officer Commanding (GOC) 3rd Division of the Nigerian Army and Commander of Operation Safe Haven (OPSH), Maj-Gen A.E. Abubakar, who was represented by Brig-Gen M.O. Agbi, in Jos, on Friday, organised by the Correspondent Chapel of the NUJ Plateau State Council in collaboration with the 3 Division of the Nigerian Army Jos Plateau State, for Media Professionals.
The GOC noted that, “The ethics and sensibility and national security play an important aspect that journalists must be guided against during their reportage, instead of publishing every information available to the organization.
“The ethics guidelines are fundamental to accountability and balance reporting during conflict and crises, including accuracy with respect on confidentiality, dignity to human lives in the affected families under attacks,” he said.
Maj-Gen Abubakar further urged them to use the media to project, promote transparency, accountability and to hold the society accountable for their actions and build confidence amongst citizens.
According to him, the 3 Division of the Nigerian Army, Maxwell Khobe Cantonment, has been involved in several conflicts, including the Nigerian Civil War, the Chadian–Nigerian War, the Zaki Biam massacre, and the Boko Haram insurgent.
He also cautioned journalists not to be over-sensitizational in reporting the military operations but should consider the landmark of accuracy, which sometimes lead to media, military through their unbiased reports.
He urged the media not to forget those families, who are involved in conflict, and urged journalists to be always objective and balancing their reports, and get facts, details before going to press.
He further explained that, media can be used for dousing tension and improve national cohesion, instead of aggravating the situation in their reportage.
The GOC/Commander OPSH called for working together – “to encourage and promote Nigeria security by appealing to participants to work in collaboration with military to build trust and confidentiality in our duty post.”
Speaking earlier, Chairman Correspondent Chapel, Polycard Auta, said the training was organised for media professionals to explore the critical balance between journalistic integrity and “military operational security.”
According to him, “The choice of the theme of the training, ‘Ethics and Security Considerations in the Media Coverage of Military Operations,’ is not just timely, but it gives us an opportunity to garner more professional insights.
“As journalists, our role is vital in informing the public, while navigating the complex ethical landscapes,” he stressed.
He noted that, “The discussion will be on best practices for reporting in conflict zones, the importance of understanding military protocols, and the ethical implications of our coverage.
“Together, we aim to foster a responsible media environment that respects both the need for transparency and the necessity of security.
“The exercise will enable journalists to understand the nexus between free press and national security, how to build public trust, the structure of the military, and its legal frameworks.
“This will further expose us to some ethical and security considerations, as well as the protection of sources, while reporting military operations,” Polycard Auta stated.
He appreciated and thanked the GOC, 3 Division and Commander OPSH, Maj-Gen. A.E. Abubakar, for supporting and accepting to deliver a keynote address in the training, and also thanked the resource persons, erudite scholars, media experts, and senior military officers, for accepting to share their avalanche of knowledge with the media group.
“I also thank heads of government MDAs and friends of the media on the Plateau, for accepting to be part of this historic event. I urge the members to engage in thoughtful discussions that will enhance our skills towards impactful reporting.”
In another remarks, the Plateau State Police Commissioner, CP Emmanuel Adesina (represented by Destu Ringle), urged journalists to focus on positive reporting to counter negative propaganda and foster peace, and commended the organizers for their role in peace building.
The NUJ Chairman, Ayuku Pwaspo, praised the collaboration and relationship between the 3 Division, saying, they visited to show appreciation to the GOC, Maj-Gen Abubakar, recently.
She also commended the organizers of the program, saying, “It will make journalists better at reporting conflict issues.”