By Stanley Onyekwere
Some Abuja-based Journalists have received intensive training on safety in discharge of their duties especially covering conflict in the society.
The training, tagged: “safety of journalists in conflict reporting”, was organised by Daily Trust Foundation in partnership with City University of London, United Kingdom (UK), for 20 select print and broadcast journalists in Abuja, with the focus on diverse issues relating to reporting of conflicts.
In his opening remarks, chairman of Daily Trust foundation, Bilya Bala said safety remains critical for journalism practice because of the hazards involved.
Bala said the foundation was contributing its quota to ensure safety for journalists, not only through the collaboration with City, University of London, but in other critical areas.
According to him: “The collaboration did not begin this year, since 2019, even during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, we have been conducting safety training for journalists.
“At the Daily Trust foundation, we are contributing our own quota to ensure safety for journalists, not only through this collaboration with City, University of London, but through our other engagements.
“Later in the year, we shall host another safety training, this time is about, ‘covering dangerous assignments’ like wars, riots, and civil conflicts”.
Also speaking, Director of programme, Department of Journalism, City University of London, Dr. Abdullahi Abubakar, said considering the responsibility of journalists in coverage of different conflicts, they need the requisite training to report the issues without harm.
Abubakar noted that journalists need adequate knowledge to provide protection for themselves in reporting conflicts.
Abubakar said: “Journalists have the responsibility to cover all the conflicts ranging from farmers herders clash, IPOB, Boko Haram and insurgency across the country, they have to understand the issues involved, so that they will protect themselves professionally”.
On his part, the lead discussant, Dr. Theophilus Abbah said journalists must be awake in conflict reporting to avoid putting themselves and their organisations in danger.
