By: Fatima Abdulrahman
Journalism plays a crucial role in addressing Nigeria’s security and humanitarian challenges. As a storyteller, it’s my responsibility to go beyond the explosions and statistics, recognizing that every incident involves lives, hopes, and dreams.
Nigeria faces a range of security issues, including cybercrime, armed robbery, kidnapping, domestic crime, extrajudicial killings, herder-farmer conflicts, ritual killings, and banditry. These issues not only disrupt the peace but also impede humanitarian efforts.
The seven core humanitarian principles, including humanity, impartiality, neutrality, and universality, can only be fully realized in a nation with minimal security concerns. Nigeria’s security challenges present a significant obstacle to upholding these principles.
Journalism, the practice of gathering, assessing, and presenting news, has emerged as a powerful tool to amplify the voices of the voiceless. In the context of Nigeria’s security challenges, the connection between journalism and conflict reporting is often misunderstood. Journalists don’t merely recite casualty figures but delve deeper, providing a detailed and unbiased account of the situation, free from favoritism or religious biases.
Conflict reporting is a demanding endeavor, and it requires immense courage and responsibility to present the unvarnished truth, even when the situation is dire. Unfortunately, Nigeria’s security situation worsens day by day, and the government’s efforts to inform and protect citizens remain inadequate. Many citizens have resigned themselves to viewing these issues as commonplace, hoping only to survive each passing hour, not knowing if they’ll see the next day.
Journalism is paramount because it reveals what’s hidden from the world’s view, irrespective of who’s involved, without discrimination or bias. It serves as the voice of the voiceless, addressing the concerns of the poor and illiterate. Conflict reporting is particularly essential because it uncovers hidden suffering and facilitates humanitarian responses.
By providing in-depth reporting, journalism paves the way for more effective humanitarian activities, ultimately making the citizens believe that their voices will be heard.