Opinion
Do Media Practitioners Need Security Training?
Journalists are well-trained people that need to be respected on any occasion they find themselves. I am not here to discuss whether the ban of journalists from the statehouse of a particular state is true or not, but my concerns are: “Do our journalists really complete in nature without being taught how to create self-defense if the occasion calls for that.”
Well, it is true that the different courses offered by the institutions of mass communication are enough to make a Student a-whole journalist. But is it not high time, however, the institutions added security training to its offered courses? My colleagues, the reaction from Nigerians to Nigerian Journalists, especially from the governmental agencies, is not palatable. Nigerian Journalists have been humiliated or harassed on many occasions.
As a result of this, if journalists were trained on how to create self-defense whenever the occasion calls for that, humiliation or harassment of journalists would be minimized.
Everyone knows that the rate of attacks over Journalism and Journalists is getting beyond a bearable condition. Journalists are under attacks because the perpetrators of such attacks know that Journalists are the strength of society. The killing of journalists is not religiously or ethnically motivated but those with political power do this to create political hegemony.
The president of America, Donald Trump, addressed a White House correspondent to CNN in 2018, Jim Acosta, as a rude; terrible person and a fake news carrier just because the reporter asked him unexpected questions. Later referring to journalists as the enemies of the people.
The question is: where is the safety for Journalists if the president of a country that clamors for freedom of speech could call Journalists the enemies of the people just because they report information in depth? Where is the safety for journalists if Jamal Khashoggi, a Saudi Journalist, could be murdered in Saudi Arabia Embassy in Turkey?
In the military era in Nigeria, like the regime of General Ibrahim Gbadamosi Babaginda and General Sanni Abacha, where Journalists in Nigeria were maltreated bitterly as they were propagating war against impunity through Journalism. the killing of journalists in Nigeria in the past and of the recent is not addressed, neither are the killers brought to book. We have been lamenting the killing of Dele Giwa and the bombing of “This Day” news medium, still, the culprits are not found up to the moment. Precious Owolabi from Channels Television was killed by a stray bullet when he was covering a protest at Abuja. The young Journalist’s career was terminated ungodly. How can we compensate these people as a nation that respects freedom of speech!
Gentlemen of the press, as the attacks on Journalism, should be taken as a vital issue that is worth discussing, so also the safety of the individuals practicing it should be considered as more important for deliberation.
So, a journalist should be knowledgeable to understand his environment and any situation that arises within his or her immediate environment. What is more important in any situation you find yourself? Your life or the story you want to write?
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