By Princess-Ekwi Ajide , Abuja
Stakeholders at a two-day International Capacity Building Training for Journalists on conflict-sensitive reporting have harped on the need for Safety and Protection of Journalists in Nigeria.
The training organised by a Nongovernmental Organisation in Nigeria, Global Rights Advocates for Sustainable Development, in Abuja advised journalists to prioritize their safety first while reporting conflicts.
Speaker after speaker at the training, including the Chairman Anambra State Truth, Peace, and Justice Commission, Professor Chidi Odinkalu, asked journalists to be cautious if reporting conflict frontlines as no story is greater than their lives.
According to him, conflict is money and as such, Journalists must protect themselves, and must be very careful in dealing with people around them.
For the Editor in Chief, Premium Times, Mojeed Musikilu, Journalists ensure they gather accurate information concerning any conflict report they file, to avoid inciting the people.
The Executive Director, International Centre for Investigative Reporting, ICIR, Dayo Aiyetan, on his part, stressed that if Journalists conduct in-depth research and maintain balance during reportage, they will end up reducing conflict even though they never set out to do that in the first instance.