By Noah Ocheni, Lokoja
The Publisher/Editor of The Nigerianpost Newspaper, Abu Micheal on Tuesday in Lokoja advised Media institutions to embrace prevention of crises rather than reporting issues that could escalate violence Extremism in the society.
The Publisher gave the charge on Tuesday while speaking as a guest on Grace FM Lokoja, Radio Programme sponsored by ActionAid Nigeria/PIBCID.
Speaking on the roles of Journalists and the Media in Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism, (P&CVE) the Publisher charged the media to ensure that their reportage will effectively address problems leading to violent extremism and avoiding sensational stories.
Abu who called on the media to always unmask those behind violent extremism, urged them to also follow up such cases in the court of law, with a view to letting the public know the consequences of violent extremism on the social economic lives of the people.
He urged Journalists to intensify efforts on awareness creation on P&CVE, by devoting special pages for discussions in the case of print media, and organizing debates on electronic media to enlighten the public about the negative impact of violent extremism in the society.
The Publisher urged the Media to focus on the Push factors of marginalisation, inequality, discrimination, as well as the Pull and Contextual factors by addressing lack of rule of law, corruption and criminality that are drivers of violence by Government and the relevant agencies.
Abu warned the Media against celebrating groups linked with violent extremism, mentaining that if media stop spreading their activities and avoid celebrating them, they would have a limited impact and coverage.
He charged the Mass media to embrace their traditional roles in the dissemination of information as they are professionally equipped to shape opinion, belief, habits and mould behaviours.
He commended ActionAid/PIBCID for their impact in the State and expressed satisfaction over the feedback from the radio programme that has achieved the desired objectives.
Several callers to the phone in radio Program like Patience from Lafia, Sam Egwu ,and Abbas from Lokoja, commended ActionAid/PIBCID for the enlightenment Programme saying “it has helped in the enlightenment and sensitization engagements on P&CVE in the Society.”
The Grace FM Radio Program is in pursuance to the System and Structure Strengthening Approach against Radicalization to Violent Extremism (SARVE II) project in Kogi and Nasarawa States, aimed at building community resilience against radicalization and Violent Extremism (VE), with funding from Global Community Engagement and Resilience Fund, (GCERF).
