By George Ozalla
The Nigeria Police Force, Zone 7 Command, Abuja, has called on journalists to give priority to facts and proper verification in their reporting, especially when covering security matters, warning that inaccurate information can create fear and confusion in society.
The Assistant Inspector-General of Police in charge of Zone 7, AIG Victor Olaiya, made the call during a two-day media training organised by the Zone 7 Command in collaboration with the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) and the International Institute of Journalism (IIJ).
The training was held on September 15 and 16, 2026, at Barcelona Hotels International, Wuse 2, Abuja, with about 30 journalists and other media professionals participating.
The programme was themed, “Reporting Security in the Digital Age: Curtailing Misinformation, Preventing Panic and Upholding Fact-Based Journalism in Nigeria.”
Olaiya said the speed at which information travels through social media and other digital platforms had made responsible journalism more important, particularly in the coverage of security incidents.
He warned journalists against rushing unverified information into the public domain, noting that reports published without proper checks could have consequences beyond the media space.
“In matters of security, information is not merely information; it can influence perception, shape behaviour, build confidence or, if mishandled, create fear and uncertainty,” the AIG said.
He also cautioned against the use of misleading headlines and old photographs as representations of fresh incidents, saying such practices could give the public a wrong picture of events.
“An unverified report can generate unnecessary panic. A misleading headline can distort public perception. An old photograph presented as a current event can create the impression of a new security incident,” he said.
According to him, journalists have a responsibility to establish the facts before publication and provide sufficient context to enable members of the public understand security developments correctly.
He said the police and the media had different professional roles but both had an interest in ensuring that the public received credible information.
Olaiya said the training was also intended to improve communication between the police and journalists and provide an opportunity for both sides to discuss challenges associated with security reporting.
He assured journalists that the Zone 7 Command would continue to engage the media professionally and provide access to information within the limits of operational security.
“Our objective is not to create a relationship where difficult questions are avoided. Rather, we seek a relationship where difficult questions can be asked responsibly and answered constructively,” he said.
The AIG urged the participants to resist pressure to publish information simply because it was trending, stressing that verification should come before publication.
“Let us work towards a communication environment where facts travel faster than rumours, verification precedes publication, context accompanies information, and responsible journalism contributes to public safety,” he said.
Earlier, the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of Administration at Zone 7 Headquarters, DCP Uduak Otu Ita, welcomed the journalists and described the programme as an opportunity to strengthen understanding between the police and the media.
Ita said journalists play an important role in informing the public on security issues and should therefore have a proper understanding of the challenges faced by security agencies in the course of their duties.
He urged the participants to make effective use of the sessions by asking questions, sharing their experiences and engaging the resource persons.
“Participate. Connect. Ask questions. Share experiences. Listen to one another,” he told the journalists.
The programme also provided participants with basic health checks, including vital signs assessment and eye examinations, with reading glasses made available where necessary.
On the second day, discussions focused on Artificial Intelligence and the Future of Public Communication, as well as Strategic Communications in Times of Crisis: Managing Information During Emergencies and High-Impact Events.
The sessions examined the growing influence of artificial intelligence on journalism and public communication, including the need for journalists to verify digitally generated or circulated content before using it in their reports.
The participants also discussed crisis communication and the importance of accurate and timely information when dealing with emergencies and other high-impact events.
Certificates were presented to the participating journalists at the end of the two-day training.
