Insecurity: Terrorists plot recruitment through media — NSA

The National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, has alerted media organizations in the country of plots by terrorists to boost their membership recruitment through dysfunctional information. He appealed for easy recruitment using media platforms, networking sites, and online propaganda, as well as  mainstream and traditional mediums of communication.

The NSA’s alert came as Minister of Information and National Orientation, Alhaji Mohammed Idris, described misinformation and fake news as damaging as terrorism.

The duo spoke at the opening of a two-day workshop, titled ”Effective Reporting Towards Strenthening Alternatives to Terrorists Ideology”, in Abuja yesterday.

Representred by the Coordinator, National Counter-Terrorism Centre, Major- General Adamu Laka, the NSA said:  “This is a situation that we must jointly combat to attain a safe and peaceful society that will guarantee sustainable socioeconomic development.

“Information is power, and I strongly believe this saying that the kind of information we process, and the manner we communicate them should be matters of great concern, hence information could be functional with positive expectations or dysfunctional with consequences that are negative and life threatening.

”The media, as the conveyor belt of information, can, therefore, influence either positively or negatively. 

Training

This training is part of efforts in response to the call of the UN Secretary General’s Plan of Action for member states to develop and implement a national communication strategy, and ensure the dissemination of positive content across a wide range of media, both traditional and digital platforms, to counter terrorist appeals and violent extremist narrative.

‘The press is capable of exercising power in favour of the state or in favour of the enemies of the state. Media practitioners must always be mindful of this in the discharge of their responsibilities in order to expose societal ills and suspicious characters and activities, garnering support for the government to be able to tackle challenges.

“To achieve this, media practitioners must produce contents that would counter or prevent the appeals of terrorism and other non-state armed groups. Indeed, there is the need for robust media campaigns against terrorism, violent extremism and all other forms of organized crime that are threatening our corporate existence as a country.”