PATTERNS OF MEDIA REPORTAGE OF SECURITY THREATS IN NIGERIA

Abstract

Security is a precondition of a peaceful society, growth and development. Without reliable information from the media, it will be difficult for the citizens and those in positions of authorities to be aware of problems and issues that need active considerations like threats to national security. Therefore, since the media remain the sources of information and vital links between the government and the people, they are the pivot of the maintenance of law and order in the society which is a sine qua non for security of lives and property and by extension national security. The realization of the foregoing prompted this study which aims at evaluating the patterns of media reportage of threats to national security in Nigeria. Agenda setting theory was adopted as framework of the study with content analysis as the design. The population is three hundred and sixty-two editions of the chosen newspapers while the sample size is fifty-two editions of the papers. Purposive sampling technique was used in choosing newspapers for the study while systematic sampling technique was used in choosing editions used. The analysis of the data was quantitative and simple percentages were used. Findings revealed that the Nigeria media frequently published reports of issues constituting threats to national security in Nigeria even when they did not give such reports due prominence in terms of page rating and in-depth analysis. Further finding indicated that the Media were more reactive than pre-emptive in the reportage of threats to national security in Nigeria. The study recommends that Nigerian media should take its social responsibility task more seriously most especially its surveillance function. They also have to be more pro-active in the reportage of threats to Nigeria’s national security and revive the culture of investigative journalism that will unearth the perpetrators of the heinous acts, their sponsors and moles in government as well as the various security agencies, if any, with a view to curbing, even if not eradicating daily threats to national security in Nigeria.