Journalists Tasked On Patriotism, National Security

Senior journalists comprising editors have been urged to prioritise love for the country and its security in discharging their constitutional duty of news reportage.

This was the crux of discussions and paper presentations at a one-day training workshop for journalists organised by First Green White Resources (FGWR) in collaboration with the Defence Headquarters (DHQ) in Abuja on Wednesday.

In his welcome address, the faciliator/chief executive officer of FGWR, Bonaventure Melah, said the workshop was organised for senior journalists as gate-keepers, explaining that the essence of the training was to remind journalists about Nigeria’s challenges and their responsibility in making the country great while discharging their duties.

For his part, the chairman of the occasion, Amb. John Metchie, who was represented, challenged journalists to live up to expectation in their calling by exposing corruption and bad elements standing in the way of national security and development.

He said the training workshop was timely and important because “Nigeria, our dear country, is at that point in its history, when all hands must be on deck to steer its ship of state, to a safe and glorious destination.”

Amb. Metchie noted: “For some years now, we have been faced with the multi-faceted challenge of insecurities, including terrorism, banditry, kidnapping for ransom and others criminalities.

“It is true, that insecurity is not a problem peculiar to Nigeria alone but a global plague that afflicts almost every nation of the world.”

He, however, added that the Nigerian challenge seemed peculiar, in that, most of the brigands attacking the country and its citizens are fellow countrymen, who also give access foreign interests and fighters into our country.

“There have been revelations from experts and others who should know, including our competent and dynamic Chief of Defence Staff, that some foreign interests are actively involved in the Nigerian security problems.

“My simple challenge to Nigerian journalists, therefore, is to be patriotic and brave enough to investigate, unravel and expose the foreigners that are interested in destabilizing Africa’s most populous nation.

“Secondly, I urge Nigerian journalists, to rise up and live out the true meaning of their name as agenda setting agents of the nation by exposing Nigerian politicians and leaders, who are colluding with foreigners and local criminals to destroy our country.

“We need you to identify and expose these unpatriotic elements, in order to ensure that they do not find themselves at vantage leadership positions in the country, anymore,” Amb. Metchie challenged the participants.

The special guest of honour and Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Christopher Musa, who was represented by a deputy director at DHQ, Commodore Shuaibu Muhammad, declared the training workshop open.

General Musa underscored the role of the media and its impact in achieving national unity and security.

“In today’s complex security environment, where we are confronted with insurgency, banditry, terrorism and many other forms of criminality, the role of the media has become more crucial than ever.

“The stories you broadcast or publish, the truth you uphold and the information you share shape the public’s perception and national unity,” the CDS stated.