I received a strange call one night from a foreign telephone number requesting a confirmation over distributions of relief materials at a residence of a top politician. The caller said he had pictures to buttress the incident.

As the spokesperson of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), I confirmed the story but insisted that the beneficiaries of the relief items were internally displaced persons (IDPs) and poor Nigerians at a residence of a community leader.

Since the story could be wrongly interpreted over the genuine humanitarian efforts, I appealed to the caller to consider the plight of the beneficiaries rather than the person whose facility was used for the distribution. He magnanimously dropped the story.

The caller was the Publisher of Sahara Reporters, Omoyele Sowore who now wants to throw his hat into the ring of presidency come 2019.

During my dilemma with Dr, Ngozi Onkonjo-Iweala, before I was forced out of the public service in 2013, Sowore was out in full force in my defence through regular coverage of my plights and strong editorials in SaharaReporters. When I crossed over to the other side as the Media Consultant to Nigeria’s security apparatuses, we balanced our relationship, and in fact, Sowore has been one of the great pillars of support in managing security reports.

It was during my engagement with the security system that I discovered that Sowore has credible informants from virtually every sensitive unit of government. The system as at that time tolerated some of his excesses and never threatened his businesses. Most influential media personalities including reporters were closely monitored for their safety and protection. Meanwhile, on few occasions, the system interfered ‘intelligently’ with his platforms to prove its technical capability. In fact, his media outfit and few others were used as guinea-pigs to test-run latest acquired intelligence facilities against stubborn online and social media. Surprisingly, Sowore would never make noise about those secret interferences, even though I personally intervened when his platforms, in few instances were compromised.

The system was aware that Sowore has large volumes of sensitive and sometimes classified information on virtually every who-is-who in security and political circles. He has been very considerate in managing the information in his disposal especially on privacy and national security.

While he doesn’t spare top political and security top shots for wrongdoings, he is always careful in not attacking the institutions and innocent operators within the structures.

I could mention several instances where Sowore had protected the reputation of Nigeria’s security from public ridicule and embarrassment. His occasional private warnings and technical advice on issues towards safeguarding national security were heeded while his medium too deliberately self-censored information leakages that could be injurious to Nigeria’s territorial integrity.

The renowned Defence Spokesperson, General Chris Olukolade (Rtd), could testify to some of the amazing support from Sahara Reporters that he once told me “This Sowore of Sahara Reporters is an interesting enigma in every sense.”

Because I was involved, he has turned down invitations and snubbed the receptions from many top public functionaries because of his radical disposition. He neither visited public offices nor sought help from public officers at least as at May 2015. Surprisingly, he never made noise about the calibre of personalities that he rejected their hands of fellowship. He is also choosy and reluctant to accept legitimate business patronages and advert placements from politicians, public officers and suspicious businessmen.

My relationship with him was never rosy. We have the occasional cat-and-mouse game since I am neither an activist nor a full-term journalist that could damn the consequence of contentious media reports. I am a public relations person that believe some information are not publishable for stability, especially on privacy and national security. PR as a profession, unlike citizen journalism, has ethical standards and regulations. Our mutual friends, especially Musikilu Mojeed of Premium Times, do intervene occasionally when we (this writer and Sowore) engaged in hot exchanges of words privately on burning issues.

I am aware that he has damning dossiers on many top public officers, he has been conscious of releasing information that could compromise national security. In fact, till date, some system officials seek his intervention on self-censorship and other strategic support.

In my interaction with Sowore, one could see his sincerity and passion for a better Nigeria where there will be economic stability, political progress and social harmony where the rich and the powerful cannot intimidate and harass the poor and the weak. He means what he says even though he is too radical and naughty in his views.

Sahara Reporters online media does not attack the poor and the weak. The medium merely exposes the powerful and the rich for their dirty antics and deals. It uses its influence to hold public officers accountable through investigative reports and editorial contents. His true friends remain the like minds in activism, the oppressed masses and the voiceless.

On a personal note, I am highly indebted to Sowore of Sahara Reporters for being part of the few individuals who stood by us when it really mattered and ensured he gave us a platform free of charge for PR stuffs. I will definitely donate to his campaign funding since he never accepted a kobo for the services he has so far rendered to us.

Meanwhile, I won’t know if I can vote for a very blunt and an extremely radical activist as Nigeria’s President at this very critical time even though Sowore has demonstrated fine PR skills in his exchange of words with Communication Minister, Barrister Adebayo Shittu recently.

Yushau A. Shuaib
Author “An Encounter with the Spymaster”
www.YAShuaib.com
yashuaib@yahoo.com

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media self-censorship

Self-Censorship and Security Reports
By Yushau A. Shuaib

Self-censorship by the media is a moral act of repressing, limiting, holding back or classifying information from public disclosure through mutual understanding. In most cases, editors exercise control over what to investigate and report despite the news value and commercial benefits.

Imbibing the practice of self-censorship also protects journalists and media organisations from prosecution or persecution in the event of negative consequences of their disclosure. For instance, in the evening of April 23, 2015, a credible piece of news on terrorists was issued by PRNigeria, a press release platform. Less than an hour later, the platform sent an SMS to Editors requesting them to embargo a segment of the story that had ‘Thuraya’ with an updated version. The media complied with the ‘directive’ and the intelligence operation was successful.

Several instances abound where self-censorship, through systematic collaboration between the media and security agencies contributed to the success of military operations in Nigeria. Such restrictions serve common interest, especially in promoting best practices, moral standards as well as protecting life and property. For instance, when Nigerian troops had misunderstanding with their GOC in Maimalari Barracks on May 14, 2014, intelligence officers privately appealed to the media to be mindful of the danger of using the strong word ‘Mutiny’ as against a lighter word ‘Protest.’ Mutiny, according to them, is punishable by long jail-terms or death. At least a section the media were considerate enough to substitute the word in attempt to save the career and lives of the soldiers.

Self-censorship has been used in battle of wits among parties in conflicts, not necessarily against the main enemies. There were attempts by some neighbouring countries to rubbish the integrity of Nigerian military by insinuating that our troops displayed cowardice. There was an incidence at a border town in August 25, 2014, followed by an embarrassing media leak from a neighbouring country to disgrace our troops. The then Defence spokesperson, General Chris Olukolade swiftly responded by issuing a statement with military jargon of ‘Tactical Manoeuvre’ which was widely used and celebrated by the media. Surprisingly, few months later the troops involved in the ‘tactical maneuver’ succeeded in launching aggressive military assaults and recovered the border town. While the enemies and ignoramuses might be laughing at the drama and the jargon, the military tacticians were focused on victories.

Meanwhile, between the months of January and April 2015 there were series of interfaces between the media and security agencies on planned strategies to recover occupied territories from Boko Haram when Sambo Dasuki was the National Security Adviser. The media bought into the idea of self-restraint over some classified information on the counter-terrorism campaign. As patriotic stakeholders in Nigerian project, most editors became more conscious and prevented the inadvertent revelation of military secrets. While some of the journalists deliberately omitted terrorists’ propaganda from their bulletins, others suppressed news that could be injurious to national security. Till today many Nigerian are yet to know how over 20 towns were recovered in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe States within the short-period of election postponement and before the handing over to Buhari administration in May 29, 2015. The media protected the military strategies and supported our troops throughout the period.

The point here is that while security agencies use weapons to confront criminal elements, the media use their pens to frame the public perceptions on those efforts. The positive media narratives on the counter-insurgency operations, not only boosted the morale of the troops and built the public confidence, the anti-terrorism editorial policies also weakened the fighting spirits of terrorists.

However, conflicts sometimes brew between security agencies who desire to control information and the media that dig for fresh facts and newsworthy information from credible authorized and anonymous sources.

The role of the media is basically to promote public awareness; shape public opinion; influence decision makers and mobilize support and resources for public good. On the other hand, critical institutions are mandated to provide services, gather intelligence and respond to emergencies and educate the public amongst others.

The recent mistrust between security agencies and the media over the arrest of publishers of the Sahara Reporters, Sowore Omoyele and that of the Premium Times, Dapo Olorunyomi is unwarranted and worrisome. More disturbing is the involvement of Nigerian Army in the latest fracas. Surprisingly, the Nigerian Army under the current Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Tukur Buratai has received tremendous media goodwill and publicity than any branch of security sector in Nigeria. The positive media exposure on the Army is so overwhelming that other branches like Defence Headquarters, Airforce, Navy and other intelligence organs get lesser mentions in the press.

More painful is the fact that the name of General Buratai, one of the finest and humble officers is frequently mentioned in the impasse that the Federal Government and even the Nigerian Army, as an institution disassociated themselves from the legal tussle.

It is also funny that one of the lawyers denounced attempts for a peaceful resolution of the impasse and even threatened to invoke cybercrime law against the media. Cybercrime law was signed by the previous administration to tackle fraudulent and criminal elements not for intimidating the media who have continued to save the military and other security apparatuses from ridicule and imminent exposure to danger.

The Chief of Army staff should be wary of busy-body consultants and lawyers who may wish to profit from the crisis by instigating him to take irrational steps against the media. No one fights the press publicly, especially credible media, in attempt to enforce censorship, not self-censorship, and get away with it unscathed. The security agencies and the media need one another towards ensuring sustainable peace and progress and stability of the polity.

Yushau A. Shuaib
www.YAShuaib.com
yashuaib@yahoo.com

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As it is, online media, which capitalise on rapidly developing and changing new technology unlike its well established traditional media counterpart, is still evolving and ethics and regulations that will guide its conduct and practice are yet to be standardised.

Nonetheless, online media have the advantage of accessibility, cost effectiveness, longer lifespan, and interactivity, speedy and updated knowledge. It is therefore, not surprising that traditional media have also added online platforms even though they still strictly adhere to the traditional code of ethics of journalism practice. History relates that the media, as the alternative government is always viewed with suspicion by governments because of its responsibility of keeping governments on its toes but since the ultimate beneficiary is the citizen, both governmental actors and media practitioners tolerate themselves for the lofty end of attaining the desired society.

This writer was therefore, greatly alarmed by the recent turn of events following hot exchanges of missives between the Nigerian Army and a very popular online medium, Sahara Reporters on issues bordering on the war on terror. The accusations and counter accusations were indeed unnecessary if only the two parties attempted a review and re-examination of their existing relationship.

From Public Relations perspective, one can easily sense the growth of mutual suspicion and mistrust between the military and some online media, which is quite a disturbing trend that should be addressed in the national interest.

There are many factors responsible for the mistrust. For instance, when the media alleges that Nigerian military is ill-equipped, it ignores the fact that most of the weapons used by insurgents were actually captured from fleeing Nigerian troops; when the press accuse soldiers of fleeing from battle field (a treasonable action), the Fourth Estate of the Realm shies away from recommending stringent measures against cowardice troops; when the military high command passes judgments on mutinous soldiers as deterrents, the press still condemns such verdicts which invariably could erode discipline in the barracks.

Also in desperation for exclusive stories, the media consciously or unconsciously promote terrorists’ agenda by publishing unethical gory videos and alarming statements of the groups which depict horror with the potential to scare the military and frighten citizens. Such media exposures of terrorism occasionally weaken the morale of troops and boost the confidence of insurgents.

On the flip side however, in their attempt to manage information, the military oftentimes horde stories rather than providing timely and adequate information to reassure the public. The military, apart from being accused of displaying partisanship to the party in power is also faulted on media selectivity (unwholesome preference) rather than treating them equally. While it is true that some media are financed and funded by politicians, the military erroneously assume that the media serves only the interests of their proprietors rather than national interest.

It is unfortunate that, while the military views constructive editorial contents as attacks by enemies and the opposition, the media also view every genuine action and statement from the military with scepticism as mere propaganda.

It is clear that it is not only those in the security services that are concerned about national interest. The media have also shown greater concern for national security by penning editorials to ginger those in authority to do more in protecting the territorial integrity of our nation. We have seen how the media widely celebrates military accomplishments and feat against terrorists with wide screamers in prominent pages and premium spaces without courting favour and commercial patronage. And so, editorial contents should not be seen as condemnation but rather as wakeup call to improve military and governmental operations in the protection of citizens.

If public officials must take the pain to respond to each and every media criticism, most of which are quite unnecessary, one may ask: how often have they acknowledged and responded to positive reports with the same speed and zeal? If spokespersons don’t respond in equal measures to positive report like critical editorial, they therefore, have no justification to criticise the same media for bias.

Meanwhile not all perceived negative reports require official rebuttals when appropriate actions can easily douse the tension and resolve misconceptions. It is the antics of typical politicians to issue provocative statements in response to media provocation. In fact, proactive and timely measures can solve many issues.

One message, I learnt as a PR person, is never to underrate or underestimate any medium not to talk of one with repute and wider audience. Each medium has its unique audiences. The only way to win the hearts and minds of those targeted audience is through sustained and improved media relations in order to benefit from mass communication platforms.

My appeal to Sahara Reporters and other online media that are concerned about insecurity in the country is to continue to be focused in supporting the military in its war on terror, while the military should also recognise the fact that the war is not only won by armoured tanks and troops but by the media and the information they provide though their platforms.

This article by Yushau A. Shuaib has been published by Nigerian print and online media between December

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