By IHECHINYERE CHIGEMERI-UWOM
UMUAHIA- The Abia State Director, Department of State Services (DSS), Mr Friday Onuche, says the media and security agencies are strategic partners in national security and development.
Onuche said this on Tuesday, when the new officials and some members of the Correspondents Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Abia Council, visited him in his office.
“Journalists are critical stakeholders to DSS and other security agencies,” he said.
He said that the organisation under his watch would collaborate with the chapel for the cross-fertilisation of ideas.
“My office will be open for you at all times, so feel free to interface with us.
“We are not spirits to know everything happening in society. So, there is the need for us to collaborate with the chapel to get vital information,” the DSS boss said.
He said that the agency had the responsibility of ensuring national security for development but required the support of the media in its intelligence gathering efforts.
“There is a nexus between national development and national security.
“There will not be national development without national security and vice versa,” he said.
He, however, admonished journalists to always verify their facts before going to press to avoid causing national crisis with their reportage.
Onuche further urged the media to shun the peddling of fake news, capable of plunging the country into chaos.
Earlier in a remark, the Chairman of the chapel, Chief Obinna Ibe, solicited the support of the agency in redefining journalism practice in the state.
Ibe said that the agency could assist NUJ to check the nefarious activities of quacks in the profession.
According to him, these quacks are the ones giving the profession a negative image. (NAN)
