Hazards of investigating corruption stories dominate discussion at media training

On Tuesday, November 14, 2023, journalists from across the print, electronics and online media houses were gathered in Lagos for one day training programme on corruption coverage in Nigeria.

 

 

The media training was organized by the Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA), Resource Centre in collaboration with Journalist For Democratic Rights (JODER) and supported by Mac Arthur Foundation. Just like the journalists, resource experts were also drawn from the academics, law chambers, media houses and professionals from various sectors of human endeavours. The anti-graft agencies like the EFCC and the ICPC were not left out as they also sent participants to the well-attended seminar from within the country and abroad.

Speaking on the topic; “Improving the capacity and providing support for investigative journalism and editorial, an Associate Professor in the school of Communication, Lagos State University (LASU), Dr. Tunde Akanni, harped on the importance of self-audit reminding that, there is no job without its own risk!

 

According to him, whoever wants to engage in investigative journalism should be optimistic, he should also audit himself if he or she is competent and as well consider his or her safety as paramount, emphasising that no story worth one’s life.

READ ALSO: http://Guber poll: Kogi youths storm INEC headquarters, back election results

Akanni, who asserted that journalism risk is obvious therefore called for caution in the course of investigating corruption stories because according to him, no story is worth any journalist’s life, and so, no journalist should endanger his/her life.

 

While advising journalists to always be positive-minded, the erudite scholar cautioned against using unreliable sources and unconfirmed information because of the danger inherent in running unconfirmed stories against some interests.

 

In his contribution, Sam Olukoya of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) said, corruption is a global problem that requires global media collaboration to solve, stressing the need for a global approach to make corrupt people be brought to justice.

 

Olukoya spoke on “The Broadcast Media in the Age of Global Campaign Against Illicit Funds and Corruption.” The veteran journalist advised journalist investigating corruption cases to consider his safety, consider litigation and so keep his record, consider harassment, even hired assassin as well as bugging of phones, pressure from the family, selling of your story by media owners as well as victimisation from your organisation’s management.

READ ALSO: http://Sanwo-Olu reacts to A’Court’s  ruling affirming his re-election

Corruption, according to the resource man has become so endemic so much that corruption stories have become so boring that nobody wants to read your efforts, warning that journalist writing corruption stories should be careful because some so called sources may want to use them for selfish gain.

 

Against all the aforementioned risks and dangers embedded in the attempts at investigating corruption cases, the journalist is admonished to be fair, accurate and impartial in his report, avoid temptation and rely only on credible sources because corruption stories sometimes lead to losing patronage by the media houses.

 

He therefore suggested more training for journalists investigating corruption cases, special desk for investigation of corrupt cases as well as the need for developing partnership with relevant organs to make the job of journalists investigating corruption cases simple.

 

A Lagos based lawyer, Barrister Nurudeen Ogbara, who spoke on Legal Support, Collaboration and Protection for Journalists against threat and harassments mentioned 14 likely hazards journalists investigating corruption cases are likely to encounter.

 

Some of the 14 hazards according to him include intimidation, harassment, kidnapping, physical attack, death, media censorship and economic factor among others. Ogbara therefore stressed the need for legal support, collaboration and protection re imperative for journalists against hazards in the course of their duties.

 

Ogbara however assured that, there are many legal systems open to Nigerian journalists that protect them when investigating any case, and the legal support that protect journalist from being threatened are legal, constitutional and global, reminding that African Chapter on human and peaceful right as entrenched in Chapter 4 guarantees the journalist right.

 

He also frowned at the five per cent being given to whistle blowers describing it as unconstitutional, because no constitution made provision for it. He therefore charged the National Assembly to pass a law that will take care of interest of the whistle blower. He regretted that failure of state government to domesticate Freedom of Information law makes it difficult for journalists to have access to information needed while investigating corruption stories at state level.

 

In the course of fielding questions from the participants, the vocal legal practitioner volunteered to advise the federal Government to re-open P&ID case saying, the fact that the court ruled in favour of Nigeria should not be the end of the case, rather it should be the beginning.

 

Ogbara said reason for calling for reopening of the case is aimed at fishing out the Nigerian collaborators in the $11bn arbitration award P&ID sought to get from Nigeria, suspecting that, there would be some prominent Nigerians that aided the company in her bid to defraud Nigeria.

 

Against this backdrop, the concerned legal figure therefore urged Nigerian journalists to be more committed to doing more investigative stories on corruption cases with a view to ensuring that such cases are pursued until justice is served.

 

Another resource person and editor, The Guardian on Sunday, Kabir Garba (PhD), regretted that media don’t do a follow up when they publish corruption cases, lamenting that, that was why many corruption cases were swept under the carpet.

 

Garba, who was represented by Gbenga Salau, cited the example of the Halliburton scandal that was swept under the carpet in Nigeria, arguing that, he saw no reason those found guilty over the case abroad would be punished while their accomplices in Nigeria are left off the hook. He reasoned that investigative journalist must have connection with the policy makers.

 

Garba spoke on the topic ‘The Media as a Tool for Transparency in Governance: Sustainable Tools for Investigative Reporting.’

 

Former Lagos State Chairman of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), Mr Lanre Arogundade presented a paper on ‘Promoting Accountability and Conflict Sensitive Journalism in the Media.’ Arogundade, like Garba was also represented at the event.

 

One of the organizers and Convener of the Journalists for Democratic Rights (JODER), Mr Adewale Adeoye in his remarks noted that corruption has local and international dimension, which focus on the life of the people, observing that investigation into corruption cases in Nigeria has reduced. “We don’t do much investigation on corruption cases, which could have strengthened the fight against the menace,” he lamented.

The media was therefore challenged to come up with agenda on how to fight corruption and be more responsive in the fight against corruption.

 

In his goodwill message, the chairman of Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC) Mr Musa Aliyu who was represented by Hajia Hadiza Rimi spoke on the role of media in fighting corruption, noted that the role of media in the fight against corruption is paramount, important and should be carried out with high level of responsibility.

 

Mr.Aliyu further noted that, the ethics of the profession should be considered in fighting corruption, which is the truth, accuracy and fairness, and the journalist writing against corruption should also not be seen to be corrupt.

 

In his speech, the executive secretary of HEDA Mr.Sulaimon Arigbabu noted that, “corruption cases in Nigeria are getting worse on daily basis but despite getting worse, some Nigerians are still committed to the fight against it,” observing however that, corruption cases are more horrible among the political class and those in the civil service!

 

Arigbabu, however, commended the media for trying its best to expose corruption cases, “the media has been trying it’s best to expose corruption cases and it should not give up,” observing that, “surge of corruption is too heavy in this country. So, exposure of any kind of corruption is important for the survival of Nigeria”, he declared.