Hardball
Nigeria’s ambassador to Germany Yusuf Maitama Tuggar was reported to have blamed “negative media reports” for fuelling insecurity in the country. It’s unclear what he meant because he didn’t explain.
“Insecurity is most unfortunate… the government is doing its best to bring this to an end…And the negative media reports sometimes fuel these acts of violence, the kidnapping, the terrorism,” the ambassador was quoted as saying in an interview with Germany’s Deutsche Welle (DW).
At the same time, he said “the root causes of insecurity and violence happen to be poverty, lack of effective governance,” adding, “especially when we have experienced years of underdevelopment which this administration is looking to reverse.”
It was convenient to blame “negative media reports” for fuelling insecurity in the country, and emphasise the government’s efforts to develop the country. He should have supported his claim by providing a definition and examples.
Was he referring to media reports of political corruption? Was he referring to reports of the country’s apparently ineffective fight against corruption? Did he mean that bandits, kidnappers and terrorists are encouraged by media reports showing that the country’s political players have failed to improve socio-economic conditions?
It is noteworthy that Vice President Yemi Osinbajo implied that the government was not doing enough to fight the conditions that encourage insecurity at an executive-legislative leadership retreat held at the Presidential Villa, Abuja last year. He told the participants: “It is time to focus on what we have been elected or appointed to do. This is the welfare of our people… Our people just want food on their table, shelter over their heads, clothing on their bodies, healthcare and education for their children and themselves.”
Also, the Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), Ekiti State governor Kayode Fayemi, has attributed the country’s security challenges partly to its 33 percent unemployment rate.
Notably, the World Bank, at its Nigeria Development Update virtual event last year, projected that the number of poor Nigerians would be 100 million by 2022, about half of the population. Nigeria’s population is about 206 million now. This is just two years away. It is a disturbing scenario that has security implications.
The point is that the media has to perform its reporting role, even when the news is negative. If there is no negative news, there won’t be “negative media reports.” The media shouldn’t be blamed for performing its responsibility. The government should perform its own responsibility by improving bad socio-economic conditions that ultimately fuel insecurity.
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