Insecurity: NSCDC unveils campaign against disinformation in Imo

The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Imo State Command, has unveiled the “information not disinformation” campaign as an effort to fight insecurity in the state.

Unveiling the campaign at the Command’s headquarters Owerri on Tuesday, the NSCDC Commandant in Imo, Mr Matthew Ovye, expressed confidence that the campaign will correct disinformation so as to enhance economic activities for growth and development of the state. 

The Commandant commended the Correspondent’s Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalist (NUJ),Imo State Council for initiating the “Information Not Disinformation “ campaign aimed at effective partnerships with security agencies in the state to fight insecurity through responsive journalism and accurate reporting. 

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The commandant, who commended the chapel for the “apt initiative”, said that it couldn’t have come at a better time than now when the state was grappling with the effects of misinformation and disinformation in the fight against insecurity. 

He assured the commitment of the Command towards the protection of critical national assets, using its anti-vandal and agro-rangers units as well as the special intelligence squad of the Commandant-General (C-G), Ahmed Abubakar-Audi. 

He thanked the C-G and the Imo state Governor, Sen. Hope Uzodinma, for their continued support which has created the enabling environment for the activities of security agencies, the media and other stakeholders in the fight against insecurity. 

He said: “Security is everybody’s business and our successes cannot be complete without the support of the media , especially the Correspondents’ Chapel”.

The Commandant said that the C-G of NSCDC has asked him to convey his regards to the journalists and his commitment to correct information dissemination facilitated by the chapel.

 He said: “We have continued to collaborate with other security agencies and I can assure you that we are winning the war against insecurity”.

He however urged journalists in the state to partner with the corps as it carries out its “Safe Schools” project to secure pre-secondary schools across the state. 

Speaking earlier, the Chairman of the Correspondents’ chapel, Mr Chinonso Alozie, thanked the commandant for his “ebullient response to challenges of insecurity in the state.”

He expressed the chapel’s readiness for effective collaborations for the success of the campaign and assured the corps of the chapel’s commitment to professional reporting. 

He said: “We are currently sensitizing security agencies in the state on the need for effective partnerships for a more responsive journalism which aims to inform rather than misinform or disinform the public. 

He assured that when the sensitisation visits are concluded, the body will proceed with an official launch of the “Information Not Disinformation” campaign and the era of misinformation by quacks will be in the past.

A highlight of the event was the presentation of a partnership letter to the commandant by Alozie and the unveiling of the campaign. 

Among those present at the event were executives of the chapel and management staff of the NSCDC in Imo.

The Executive Members of the Correspondent’s Chapel and the Management Staff of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps NSCDC during the unveiling of the “information Not Disinformation campaign in Imo State.