Reporting Boko Haram Terrorism and Government Responses Is Paramount To Survival of Nigeria... Tumsa
The Vice Chairman of Presidential Committee on the North East Initiative (PCNI), Alhaji Tijani Tumsa has said that government was not unaware of the different motives that often influence the coverage and report of the on going war against boko Haram terrorists but one interest that should be Paramount in reporting boko Haram terrorism and government responses is the survival of Nigeria as a nation and the people of the north east.
He also said that once this was at the back of our minds, whatever interest that will undermine government efforts in combating boko Haram terrorism and rebuilding the north east will be collectively resisted because it is a complete threat to the success of the war against terrorism and Nigeria's corporate existence is also at a threat.
The Vice Chairman stated this today Wednesday at the closing ceremony of a 3-day training workshop on conflict sensitive communication for the media and information officers of security and response agencies in the north east of Nigeria, organized by the PCNI and facilitated by the Center for Crisis Communication (CCC) held at Barwee Luxury Suites Maiduguri from Monday, 23th -Wednesday, 25th April, 2018.
Tumsa said with the workshop theme," Appraising the role of conflict sensitive communication in addressing violent extremism ", the seminar was a response to the need to collaborate and collectively counter boko Haram terrorism in the north east by government response agencies and private media organizations.
He added that collaboration among and between government response agencies as well as private media organizations was highly needed in the on going war against boko Haram terrorism and its violent ideology, pointing out that, because north east is not just a part of Nigeria but a gateway to Nigerian economy and the economies of the Sahel region and behind which makes it a strategic and economic asset to the nation.
The Vice Chairman noted also that as such, whatever threatens the north east also threatens Nigeria's corporate existence and it was on this recognition of the fact that President Muhammadu Buhari's unreserved commitment to end terrorism in the lake chad basin informed the organization of the workshop while urging for support from all stakeholders , especially, the media to fight the war to an end.
He also warned that news and report framing whether by the government response security agencies or private media organizations which is a function of interest of individual framing, such news or organization that he or she is representing should consider national interest first as paramount.
Alhaji Tijani further appealed that our actions should not be guided by our personal interest or interests of the various organizations we represent but national interest and the interest of the people we are called to rescue from the jaws of the boko Haram insurgency.
He expressed hope that at the end of the seminar, the participants have gained some insights into conflict communication, countering violent extremism and the need for collaboration among various response agencies of government and the private media houses.