The Federal Government has called on Nigerian journalists to exercise greater responsibility in reporting security matters, urging them to remove terrorists, bandits, and other criminal elements from newspaper front pages in the interest of national stability and patriotism.
Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, made the appeal on Thursday in Abuja at a two-day National Security Summit organised by the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) in collaboration with the Department of State Services (DSS). The sum
mit, themed “Media and Security Agencies as Partners in Nation Building,” brought together media executives, security chiefs, and industry stakeholders to discuss the critical role of journalism in shaping public perception amid the country’s multifaceted security challenges.
Idris acknowledged the government’s unwavering commitment to press freedom under President Bola Tinubu but stressed that responsible journalism must avoid glorifying crime. “Yes, we have to do our work, we have to report whatever happens, but you must know that the best reporter, the best editor, is the one who knows what not to report in the interest of nation-building,” the minister said.
In a direct appeal to media leaders, Idris declared: “Please, take these terrorists and criminals off your front pages. This is what they crave, free of charge”. He expressed deep concern that news reports often highlight attacks by terrorists and kidnappers while downplaying the efforts and sacrifices of security personnel working to protect lives and property. “It saddens my mind when I see our front pages, when I see our headlines, reporting the activities of these criminals and underplaying the ones by security agencies,” he lamented.
The minister reminded editors that without a secure and peaceful country, the media itself would lack an enabling environment to operate. “We must have a Nigeria to report first before we can even have a union or any other media organisation. It is our collective responsibility to ensure that this nation survives,” he said. He urged journalists to celebrate the sacrifices of young men and women in uniform rather than grant free publicity to insurgents.
Beyond kinetic military operations, Idris noted that the Tinubu administration was deploying non-kinetic tools to combat insecurity by addressing its root causes. He also highlighted that over 1.3 million Nigerian students had accessed higher education through the National Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), ensuring that financial constraints do not keep youths out of school. Additionally, he hinted at enhanced welfare packages for media workers to boost their morale and economic well-being.
In his remarks, NUJ National President, Alhassan Yahya, stated that the summit was designed to foster closer ties between journalists and security agencies to promote democracy and public interest. Yahya commended the improved relationship between the press and the DSS under Director General Adeola Ajayi, noting that there had been no record of intimidation or harassment by state services in the last one and a half years.
Also speaking, President of the Nigeria Chapter of the International Press Institute, Musikilu Mojeed, observed that the debate between national security and press freedom should not be framed as a choice between competing values. According to Mojeed, a democratic society requires both to survive, as security without accountability risks secrecy and abuse, while freedom without security cannot be meaningfully sustained. He noted that conflicts between security agencies and the media often arise from inadequate communication, mistrust, and the failure to utilise existing mechanisms for resolving disagreements.
The two-day summit continues on Friday with a presentation expected from the DSS Director General, as stakeholders seek to strengthen the partnership between the media and security institutions in tackling Nigeria’s security challenges.
ANN Politics
Tags
News