Media and Security in Nigeria

Abdur-Rahman Olalekan Olayiwola

Department of Political Science

Lagos State University (LASU), Ojo, Lagos, Nigeria.

E-mail: nusramurana@yahoo.co.uk

Abstract

Today, an information explosion is taking place in the world and the mass media of communication increasingly enjoy a position of considerable importance throughout the globe. This paper on Media and Security examines the role of mass media of communication in the coverage and reportage of security matters in particular and in informing, educating, enlightening and entertaining the populace on societal issues in general. The paper interrogates the extent to which mass media practitioners have adhered to the professional journalistic ethics of objectivity, impartiality and balancing in such matters and also x-rays the multitude of factors impeding the media institutions in effective communicative crusades. The paper submits that the Mass Media of Communication in Nigeria operate in the Nigerian State. Therefore, to advance any scholarly discussion of the Nigerian media, it is paramount to situate the discourse within the specificity of the Nigerian State and society. The paper argues that the effectiveness of any political system, how well it handles the demands of its environment can be measured in terms of its ability and capability to accurately analyze messages from the environment and effectively transmit messages which express reactions.  The paper recommends, among a host of other recommendations that the mass media of communication need to be socially, politically, economically, nationally and internationally responsible in the way they carry news stories about security in particular, and the Nigerian Society in general. It also recommends that the media should take cognizance of the fact that security is not just about the Army, the Navy, the Air force, the Police, the Customs, the Immigration etc but also take into account the whole country’s socio-politico-economic systems, researches and all activities that go into the normal civilian life. Finally, the mass media should also cover the totality of security sector and security community, non-statutory security institutions and civil societies, as well as the internal and international processes that are germane to security and insecurity issues including the major aspects of regionalization and globalization of insecurity.