Emmanuel Adeyemi, Lokoja Journalists have been urged to be mindful of the choice of their words while reporting conflict situations so as not to aggravate or promote ethnic or religious disharmony in the country.
The Journalists were specifically reminded to be highly sensitive to the diverse composition of the nation when reporting crisis situations by not linking or colouring their stories to ethnic or religious groups as such is capable of fueling rather than dousing the crisis. This was contained in a communiqué issued at the end of a 3-day-workshop on Conflict Sensitivity Reporting organized by the ActionAid Nigeria for 30 journalists from Kogi state held at Kini Country Guest Inn Akwanga, Nasarawa State over the weekend. The Communique urged journalists that they must strive to ensure fairness, balance and objective reportage at all times as well as expand their scope of reporting to properly frame the issues for balanced coverage. The communiqué also enjoined journalists not to take stories out of context and to be sensitive to peace building process in their reportage and programmes stressing that emphasis must be placed on facts over and above value reportage. It de-emphasised the promotion of hate speeches in their report and not dwell on recounting bitter experience of traumatised survivors to ensure their safety in the process of covering conflict zones. The communique equally advised journalists to ensure that they are dispassionate while interviewing survivors
and take time out to seek professional assistance if traumatised in the process of reporting. It further advocated that journalists must adhere to ethical standards and NUJ code of practice and not allow themselves to be manipulated by actors in a conflict situation as well as not allowing their perception and opinions affect their reportage on conflicts. It also cautioned journalists to desist from the use of languages that reinforces traumatic experiences of survivors and to be wary of the impact of promoting violence on their audience or readers The communique also urged journalists to always ensure that the voice of everyone in a conflict situation is heard in their programmes and reportage as well as be wary of the tone /pictures used in their reportage in order not to aggravate the conflict. Participants also emphasised the need for Media owners/Managers to adequately equip their organizations as well as provide necessary tools and incentives to enhance the productivity of reporters as it concerns conflict reportage.