National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu has emphasized the crucial role of the Nigerian media in mobilizing support for President Bola Tinubu’s government and strengthening the administration’s fight against terrorists.
Speaking at a two-day training event on ‘Effective Reporting Towards Strengthening Alternatives to Terrorist Ideology’, Ribadu urged media managers to be cautious of promoting terrorists’ propaganda and ideologies through their reporting on security issues.
During the training, organized by the National Counter-Terrorism Centre-Office of the National Security Adviser (NCTC-ONSA) in collaboration with the Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution (IPCR), Ribadu highlighted the impact of information dissemination, which can either have positive or negative and life-threatening consequences.
Media practitioners were urged to be mindful of the potential consequences and to use their platforms to expose societal ills, suspicious characters, and activities.
Ribadu acknowledged that terrorist groups continue to exploit social media platforms, networking sites, and online propaganda, as well as traditional communication channels, to spread dysfunctional information.
To counter this, he stressed the need for robust media campaigns against terrorism, violent extremism, and organized crime, all of which pose a threat to Nigeria’s corporate existence.
The training aimed to equip media practitioners with the skills to produce content that counters and prevents the appeals of terrorism and non-state armed groups.
Ribadu emphasized the importance of developing a national communication strategy in line with the UN Secretary General’s Plan of Action, which calls for member states to disseminate positive content across various media platforms to counter terrorist appeals and extremist narratives.
Ribadu also highlighted the power of media content to shape perceptions, attitudes, and foster national cohesion. By disseminating appropriate narratives, media professionals can contribute to changing mindsets and promoting solidarity, mutual trust, patriotism, and sustainable socio-economic development.
In closing, Ribadu encouraged journalists to seize the opportunity to learn from the experiences of the resource persons involved in the training, emphasizing the importance of their role in countering extremist ideologies and promoting a safe and peaceful society.
