By Ramatu Garba
Kano – Nigeria Association of Crime and Judicial Journalists (NACAJJ), Kano State chapter, has urged to media practitioners to embrace modern trends in peace reporting.
The call is in a statement by Chairman of the association, Abdulgafar Oladimeji, on Friday in Kano to mark the UN Peace Day.
According him, journalists need to be concious that peace journalism is now a global trait, saying practitioners in Nigeria will have to embrace the development.
Oladimeji urged journalist to reflect on peace day as it affected their practice and appealed that peace be put above all differences in building a culture of peace in reportage.
He said “a reporter’s story on conflict can be the sole information available, how we report could intensify conflict and jeopardize peace.
“When reporting, journalists should ensure they understand the situation, the causes responsible for the conflict, the effects of the conflict, the source of the facts of the issues and always put to judgment if their reportage will escalate or deescalate conflicts.”
He commended radio, television and the print media in Kano State for playing a significant role during the Quit Notice conflict through their peace reporting pattern.
He stressed that efforts that doused tension against reprisal attacks in the North during and in the aftermath of the Operation Python Dance military operations in the South East and alleged attacks on Northerners residing in the region followed matured reportage of Kano press. (NAN)