Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, has urged journalists to offer compelling and positive alternatives that resonate with the populace to counter terrorists’ ideology.
Idris, who said that terrorists were not just fighting a physical war on the populace but a psychological war, which should be countered by media reportage, spoke, yesterday, during a two-day workshop on “Effective Reporting Towards Strengthening Alternatives to Terrorists’ Ideologies,” organised by the National Counter-Terrorism Centre (NCTC) in the office of the National Security Adviser (NSA).
He said: “The media holds an immense power to influence minds, shape narratives, and promote peace. In the fight against terrorism, the media can either undermine or bolster our collective efforts to provide alternatives to extremist ideologies. Through your reports, images, and commentaries, you have the unique ability to educate, inform, and inspire resilience among the public.”
“Terrorism is not merely a physical threat; it is an ideological battle of the mind with the extremist groups exploiting vulnerabilities, spreading fear, and propagating messages that present them as fighting for a social cause, to further their depraved agenda.
“To counter this, we must offer compelling, positive alternatives that resonate with the same audiences targeted by terrorists. Therefore, your reporting plays a pivotal role in this endeavour.
“To achieve this, the media should continue to project successful initiatives and programmes of NCTC and ONSA that counter-radicalisation as well as the rehabilitation and reintegration of repentant terrorists into the community.
“I will enjoin the Defence Correspondents/Reporters to work closely with security experts, sociologists, psychologists, and community leaders to provide a multi-faceted perspective on terrorism and its alternatives. Use data and research to back your stories, thereby enhancing credibility and depth.”
He, however, charged the media to always uphold the ethics of journalism by being objective and fair and guarding against sensationalism. Earlier in his remarks, the National Coordinator of the NCTC, Maj.-Gen. Adamu Laka, urged journalists to use their media outfits to “give Nigeria a good name.”
