Killings: North-east coalition tasks media on fair reportage

North-east coalition of civil societies has called on the media to be free, fair in reporting communal clashes in the country.
The Coalition made the call in a statement jointly by the chairman, Ahmed Shehu, and the Director of Publicity, Sadiq Sadiq, shortly after the mid-year congress held in Bauchi on July 2, 2018, via the statement released to newsmen in Gombe yesterday.
It stated that it observed the diminishing observance of free, fair and investigation journalism in some media houses in the country.
“We enjoin media practitioners to respect ethical standard in the discharge of their responsibilities and we advise the media to be responsible and report correct news.
“As we approach 2019 elections, we call on government, politicians, and security agencies to discharge their duties fairly and in conformity with the Constitution of the country.
“We believe in unity and existence of Nigeria as one indivisible country and we advise government and relevant agencies to sanction or bring to justice any individual or group that was identified beyond reasonable doubt to be involved in the divide,” the statement read in part.
The Coalition also called on the citizens, politicians, religious leaders, traditional rulers and community leaders not to overheat the polity, saying “all citizens have the right and liberty to live in any part of the country, irrespective of tribe and religious affiliations, as enshrined in the Constitution.”