A University teacher, Prof Mohammed Shafiu Abdullahi has said journalists have a vital role to rid the country of the present insecurity challenges.
This was even as he cautioned journalists against sensational reportage that will overheat the present insecurity bedevilling the country.
He made his views known in an interview with newsmen on Sunday.
The university lecturer said journalists as the fourth realm of the estate have a vital role to play in complementing the government’s efforts.
Prof Abdullahi who is also the Acting Registrar, National Board for Islamic and Arabic Studies(NBAIS), Kaduna noted with concern how some media outfits compromise ethical standards by becoming agents of doom.
He observed that professionalism and ethical values should have been the watchwords guiding practitioners of the noble profession, but lamented the bias and molestation as well as character assassination as the basis for the present-day practice of journalism.
“It is worrisome how some media organizations will hasten to go to press without cross-checking of facts and fair balancing just to tarnish somebody’s image.
“Let me tell you that I am also a victim of such unfair, bias and unbalanced reportage by some media outfits.
“So many unconfirmed and bias publications were carried out in the past by some media organization against the board and my person, targeted at tarnishing the good image of NBAIS.
“It very unfortunate when professionals become armchair journalists who succumb to brown envelopes just to destroy a built legacy.
Prof Shafiu attributed the high level of insecurity to overblown stories of criminals and their crimes by journalists instead of concentrating on successes gain by security operatives.
He enjoined members of the noble profession to guide their activities by professional conduct to compliment the good efforts of security agencies and the federal government.
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