Network of peace journalism on the Community Initiatives to Promote Peace in collaboration with Interfaith Mediation Centre IMC have called on security agencies to ensure safety of journalists across thirty six States of the federation toward ensuring peaceful conducts of the forthcoming elections.
In a statement by the team leader of network Ibrahima Yakubu shortly after the one day engagement with media practitioners in Kaduna State toward the coverage of 2023 election organised by Mercy Corps and Interfaith Mediation Centre in Kaduna.
The statement calls on stakeholders to support and give protection to journalists that would cover the elections at various communities and locations.
According to the statement, the engagement availed journalists on the culture and ethics of peace journalism.
It emphasised the need for other non-governmental organization and civil society organizations to sensitize the general public through it medium on the dangers associated with hate speech, vote buying and thuggery among youth groups.
The statement urges media practitioners in the country to adquately sensitize and educate Nigerians on the need not to see the 2023 general elections as a do or die affairs.
The Network also called on media organizations in Kaduna State and the country at large to support and equip their reporters with modern working equipments so as to enable them discharge their duty effectively during the coverage of the elections.
The statement appeals to media organizations to provide kits and other necessary equipments to enable journalist carried out their responsibilities in disseminating information to the public
It says Religious leaders should not use their sermons and congregation to preach disunity during, before and after the elections, so as not to cause division among fellow citizens in the State and Nigeria as a whole.
“The network thank mercy Corp and interfaith mediation center for spending 3 years of monthly peace journalism training media which has contributed immensely towards promoting interreligious tolerance and better understanding among different faith base organization in the country”
REL/AMINU DALHATU
