The 17the All Nigerian Editors Conference has urged the Federal Government to confront issues that have given rise to the demands of the different self-determination groups.
This was part of the resolutions reached at the end of the conference, put together by the Nigerian Guild of Editors last Thursday and Friday, with the theme ‘Media in Times of Crises: Resolving Conflict, Achieving Consensus’, was attended by 350 editors, security chiefs and other stakeholders.
The conference, in a communique signed by NGE President Mustapha Isah and the General Secretary Iyobosa Uwugiaren, advised the government to deal with the different sections of the country on the basis of fairness, equity and justice.
“There’s need for government to ensure that its policies and actions are sensitive to the multi ethnic and religious makeup of the country.”
The conference urged healthy and harmonious collaboration between the media and the security agencies in the fight against insecurity.
It said the prevalent insecurity challenges threatening Nigeria’s survival and development, could tear the nation to shreds.
‘’The problem of insecurity confronting the country is taking a huge toll on societal life and posting negative development indices in several areas. That the insecurity crises stem from leadership failure that has bedevilled the country for many years.
‘’There are fears in some quarters that editors and media professionals seem to have taken sides in the raging crises. That journalists and security agents who are first line responders to every flash points appear locked in mutual suspicion.’’
“That agitations for self-determination, which are raging in the South-east, South-west and the South-south regions do not augur well for the unity of the country.
‘’The conference called for an end to raging insecurity so that citizens can conduct their normal lives in an atmosphere of peace and concord. That there’s need for healthy and harmonious collaboration between the media and the security agencies in the fight against insecurity.”
It also called on government to support the survival of the media as part of the task of building the nation’s democracy and avoid any acts that will put the media in chains.