The Nigertian Guild of Editors (NGE) has said Nigerian journalists will never be disposed to giving terrorists and criminals any exposure through their reports.
The guild, in a statement on Wednesday, said Nigerian journalists, especially its members, are not terrorists and bandits’ best friends, against the terrific insinuation by the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC).
In a directive, titled “Newspaper Reviews And Current Affairs Programmes: A Need For Caution,” last week, the regulatory agency had cautioned broadcasters against glamorising and giving too many details on the nefarious activities of terrorists and kidnappers during their
daily newspaper reviews.
The Nigerian editors also stated that giving the fact that journalists have a responsibility to help the country cope with the prevailing threat and consequences of banditry, kidnapping and terrorism in Nigeria, they will continue to be responsible and responsive in their reports.
The statement signed by the NGE’s President Mustapha Isah and the General Secretary Iyobosa Uwugiaren, said the directive is unhelpful, describing it a subtle threat to free press, freedom of expression, access to information, and victims’ right to justice, which are essential to public debate and accountability in a democratic space.
The guild added that giving the consistent anti-media policy of NBC in recent times, its members are concerned about what the commission means by the expansive definitions of what may constitute ‘’too many details’’, ‘’glamorising’’, ‘’divisive rhetoric’’, and ‘’security issues’’ in its directive.
NGE reiterated that there is no security without free media and free expression, and no free expression and free media without security, saying these two terms should come hand in hand and not fight each other in the general interest of the nation.
