General News
Journalists Urged To Move Beyond Incident Counts In Covering Nigeria,s Public Safety Crisis
By David Owei
Journalists covering conflict, insecurity, and governance in Nigeria have been urged to rethink Safety
how public safety is reported, shifting away from episodic incident counts toward
people-centred and policy-relevant journalism.
This call was the focus of a two-day Capacity Building for Journalists on Public Safety Reporting,
held in Abuja from January 27–28, 2026.
The training convened reporters from Benue and
Bayelsa States alongside journalists covering national public safety and governance issues from
the Federal Capital Territory.
The programme was organised by the Centre for Journalism,
Innovation and Development (CJID) with support from the Open Society Foundations (OSF).
Speaking on the goal of the workshop, Akintunde Babatunde, Executive Director of CJID
explained that the training forms part of the People-Centred Public Safety Project, which
responds to growing concerns that dominant security narratives often obscure systemic failures,
dehumanise victims, and fail to influence the policies that shape safety outcomes at the
community level.
He noted that CJID is keen to see a clear shift in how conflict and public safety
issues are reported following the training.
“We hope that by the end of this training, participants will not only be equipped with the tools
required for people-centred conflict reporting, but will also have the drive to produce journalism
that meaningfully shapes public understanding, strengthens accountability, and influences policy
outcomes.”
Community policing emerged as a central theme during the training, particularly as provided for
under the 2020 Nigeria Police Act. Participants examined the historical and structural
foundations of policing in Nigeria, including its colonial origins and enduring elite orientation.
Discussions highlighted how persistent gaps in policing capacity, accountability and training
have contributed to the emergence of community-driven safety mechanisms.
Throughout the programme, journalists were urged to prioritise rigorous fact-finding, avoid
borrowed or sensational language, and challenge dominant stereotypes by producing reporting
grounded in lived realities, community relationships, and historical context, rather than
reinforcing fear-based framings.
Participants were also introduced to emerging national patterns of violence, including
geographic diffusion, high recurrence driven by delayed or absent state response, security
vacuums, and retaliation cycles – dynamics often missed in headline-driven coverage.
Beyond documenting violence, journalists were encouraged to highlight peacebuilders,
community resilience, coping mechanisms, and reform efforts, without denying the reality of
insecurity.
The emphasis was on producing journalism that reflects both harm and human
agency.
The training concluded with a call for journalists to reclaim their role as shapers of public record
and accountability, using their work to influence laws, budgets, institutions, and public
programmes. By the end of the programme, participants left with clearer tools to interrogate
public safety failures, identify patterns behind violence, elevate community-defined notions of
safety, and produce reporting capable of influencing policy and public action.
A participant , Aherhoke Okioma, commended and applauded CJID for the training workshop,which will go a long way to reshaping the horizon of journalists in reporting conflicts and safety in the country,describing the impactful lectures delivered as unprecedented,and called on Non governmental organizations to emulate CJID in training and retraining of journalists to enhance their professionalism .
General News
OBYC Worldwide fault Ineife led IYC over planned protest against Bayelsà Industrialist. ….urges IYC to respect for Court Process
By David Owei,Bayelsa
The Ogbia Brotherhood Youth Council (OBYC) Worldwide has condemned the planned protest over the legal dispute involving Azikel Group President, Dr. Azibapu Godbless Eruani, CFR, and Mr. Kariyai Daukoru, describing the action as unnecessary while the matter remains before a competent court.
OBYC, in a statement issued on Saturday and made available to newsmen, urged Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Central Zone Chairman, Comrade Peres Ineife, to suspend the proposed protest and allow the judicial process to run its course.
It also appealed to the newly elected IYC Worldwide President, Dr. Doubra Collins Okotete, to promote dialogue and reconciliation among the parties involved in the Aviation Training initiative.
OBYC maintained that Dr. Eruani’s aviation training initiative was a philanthropic programme designed to empower Bayelsa youths and rejected allegations that he intended to victimise anyone.
The Council further called on Ijaw youths, political leaders and stakeholders to exercise restraint, respect the rule of law, and avoid actions capable of undermining the judiciary or disrupting peace.
General News
OBYC Worldwide fault Ineife led IYC over planned protest against Bayelsà Industrialist. ….urges IYC to respect for Court Process The Ogbia Brotherhood Youth Council (OBYC) Worldwide has condemned the planned protest over the legal dispute involving Azikel Group President, Dr. Azibapu Godbless Eruani, CFR, and Mr. Kariyai Daukoru, describing the action as unnecessary while the matter remains before a competent court. OBYC, in a statement issued on Saturday and made available to newsmen, urged Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Central Zone Chairman, Comrade Peres Ineife, to suspend the proposed protest and allow the judicial process to run its course. It also appealed to the newly elected IYC Worldwide President, Dr. Doubra Collins Okotete, to promote dialogue and reconciliation among the parties involved in the Aviation Training initiative. OBYC maintained that Dr. Eruani’s aviation training initiative was a philanthropic programme designed to empower Bayelsa youths and rejected allegations that he intended to victimise anyone. The Council further called on Ijaw youths, political leaders and stakeholders to exercise restraint, respect the rule of law, and avoid actions capable of undermining the judiciary or disrupting peace.
By David Owei,Bayelsa
The Ogbia Brotherhood Youth Council (OBYC) Worldwide has condemned the planned protest over the legal dispute involving Azikel Group President, Dr. Azibapu Godbless Eruani, CFR, and Mr. Kariyai Daukoru, describing the action as unnecessary while the matter remains before a competent court.
OBYC, in a statement issued on Saturday and made available to newsmen, urged Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Central Zone Chairman, Comrade Peres Ineife, to suspend the proposed protest and allow the judicial process to run its course.
It also appealed to the newly elected IYC Worldwide President, Dr. Doubra Collins Okotete, to promote dialogue and reconciliation among the parties involved in the Aviation Training initiative.
OBYC maintained that Dr. Eruani’s aviation training initiative was a philanthropic programme designed to empower Bayelsa youths and rejected allegations that he intended to victimise anyone.
The Council further called on Ijaw youths, political leaders and stakeholders to exercise restraint, respect the rule of law, and avoid actions capable of undermining the judiciary or disrupting peace.
By David Owei,Bayelsa
Two fishermen have been declared missing after their boat capsized off the coast of Opu-Okumbiri in Brass Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.
It was gathered that the missing fishermen were identified as Elder Sunday Sample Timothy and his assistant, Mr. Avarada.
According to a source, Chief Saturday Akimi-Omunhuo, a community leader, the two men left for a fishing expedition at about 1:00 a.m. on Friday when the outboard engine of their fishing boat reportedly developed a fault while they were far out at sea.
Chief Akimi-Omunhuo said a rescue boat towed the disabled vessel toward the continental shelf and the Atlantic coastline. However, as they approached the shore, strong waves reportedly capsized the faulty boat, throwing the two fishermen into the water.
He narrated that the rescue boat and those aboard reached the shore safely, but the two fishermen have remained missing.
Community members were said to immediately launch a search operation along the coastline and surrounding waters. The search team later recovered the fishermen’s fishing gear, but there was no sign of the missing men as of the time of filing this report.
Chief Akimi-Omunhuo described the incident as tragic, noting that similar accidents have occurred over the years in the coastal communities.
He appealed to the Brass Local Government Council, the Bayelsa State Government, the Federal Government and relevant stakeholders to provide improved safety equipment, weather monitoring systems and other support for fishing communities whose livelihoods depend on the sea.
“Our people depend on fishing for survival. We need better safety measures to reduce the loss of lives on our waterways,” he said.
Search efforts for the two missing fishermen were still ongoing at the time of this report.
Authorities were yet to issue an official statement on the incident.
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OBYC Worldwide fault Ineife led IYC over planned protest against Bayelsà Industrialist. ….urges IYC to respect for Court Process The Ogbia Brotherhood Youth Council (OBYC) Worldwide has condemned the planned protest over the legal dispute involving Azikel Group President, Dr. Azibapu Godbless Eruani, CFR, and Mr. Kariyai Daukoru, describing the action as unnecessary while the matter remains before a competent court. OBYC, in a statement issued on Saturday and made available to newsmen, urged Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Central Zone Chairman, Comrade Peres Ineife, to suspend the proposed protest and allow the judicial process to run its course. It also appealed to the newly elected IYC Worldwide President, Dr. Doubra Collins Okotete, to promote dialogue and reconciliation among the parties involved in the Aviation Training initiative. OBYC maintained that Dr. Eruani’s aviation training initiative was a philanthropic programme designed to empower Bayelsa youths and rejected allegations that he intended to victimise anyone. The Council further called on Ijaw youths, political leaders and stakeholders to exercise restraint, respect the rule of law, and avoid actions capable of undermining the judiciary or disrupting peace.
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