By Joy Gadani
—Journalists and social media influencers have been urged to place humanity above the race for breaking news, as part of efforts to promote responsible reporting and peacebuilding in Nigeria.
This is just as they are told to strategically use technology in their operations but with caution, especially in this era of Artificial Intelligence.
The advice was given at the recently concluded three-day intensive workshop in Kaduna organised by the LIDA Network in partnership with Media in Cooperation and Transition (MICT), under PEACECORE-II Project with support from the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ).
It was aimed at strengthening participants’ capacity to verify information, counter disinformation, detect deepfakes, and promote conflict-sensitive reporting across Nigeria.
Founder of LIDA Network, Irene David-Arinze, said the initiative was informed by rising insecurity and social tensions across the country, particularly in northern Nigeria.
She explained that “the training, themed Media for Peace”, was designed to equip media practitioners with practical skills to de-escalate tensions, especially those linked to religious and ethnic conflicts in states such as Kaduna State, Plateau State, and Jigawa State”.
A media expert with MICT, Silas Jonathan, stressed the importance of leveraging digital tools for investigative reporting. “It is very important that as journalists, we are able to leverage open-source tools to conduct our investigations,” he said. He added that in an era of artificial intelligence and rapid information flow, journalists must develop the capacity to verify and authenticate content to expose disinformation and deepfakes.
Jonathan also cautioned against the use of sensational headlines and negative framing in reporting. According to him, journalists must prioritise ethical storytelling that reduces harm and promotes social cohesion.
He noted that in a time marked by hate speech and stereotyping, “conflict-sensitive ensures that journalists do not generalize, and stories are framed to minimize harm, while keeping the public accurately informed.”
The training brought together 30 professional journalists and 30 youths including bloggers and social media influencers, who described the training as timely and necessary, noting that it would contribute to fostering a more informed and peaceful society.
