An international organisation, Global Rights-Nigeria, has facilitated the training of select journalists from print, broadcast and online media houses in Abuja.
The two-day intensive training, held Wednesday and Thursday, was in collaboration with the International Centre for Investigative Journalism (ICIR), with support from HEINRICH BOLL STIFTUNG, with resource persons drawn from Premium Times, Daily Trust Foundation and others.
While training participants on the role of the media in troubling times and safety tips for journalists operating in unsafe environment, the Executive Director of ICIR, Mr Dayo Aiyetan, tasked journalists on upholding truth at all times by going the extra mile to investigate claims and balance discoveries before publication.
He said: “The role of journalists is to hold government accountable at all times, as enshrined in section 22 of the 1999 constitution. However, many journalists are afraid of undertaking painstaking investigations, because of what they imagine to be risks. Every profession has its risk, but it is the duty of the journalist to uphold the truth at all times.
“It is sometimes discouraging to undertake investigations that are supposed to get people prosecuted and yet you see the people walking freely with impunity. However, we should be on the good side of posterity by doing our best to expose wrongdoings in society, including corruption, despite the impunity by government.
“Our role as journalists is to hold government accountable, not to be the mouthpiece of government. It is discouraging that government try to muzzle the press by trying to bring up unnecessary laws, but our fidelity lies in the truth and being on the side of the people at all times. The reason people no longer trust many media houses is because of the issue of not telling the truth, so we should do our best to uphold truth.
“Also, as journalists, we should apply caution in our investigations by carrying out security assessment before undertaking any investigation. We live in trying times as fraudulent people will do anything to prevent you from exposing the truth. No story is worth your life. If your security assessment is too dangerous for an investigation, kindly overlook the investigation than not living to tell the story.”
Speaking earlier, the Executive Director of Global Rights, Abiodun Baiyewu, represented by Edosa Oviawe, said the training became necessary as a result of many journalists becoming discouraged from undertaking investigative reporting, amidst intimidation and oppressive laws by government.
“It is pathetic that many journalists who were once vibrant have now become cool because of intimidation by authorities. However, journalists have the role of being watchdogs in society. The training will open our eyes to how to operate in an oppressive environment and stay alive to report the truth at all times.
“We need the civic space to work. Protecting the civic space is guarding where we work as humans. We must not succumb to the oppressive laws being passed by government, aimed at shrinking the civic space and preventing Nigerians from airing their opinions,” she said.
