The Director General of the Voice of Nigeria (VON ), Mallam Jibrin Baba Ndace, has restated the commitment of the organization to shape positive narratives about the Nigerian police and other security agencies in the country.
The VON DG stated this when he led management staff of VON on a courtesy call to the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Kayode Egbetokun.
He said VON was established to shape positive narratives about Nigeria and Africa.
He said: ” As one of the public media institutions we are here to identify with the Nigerian police and commend the IGP for the reforms he is carrying out.
“We are also here to inform you that VON was established by our founding fathers to shape positive narratives about Nigeria and Africa.
“VON is the only public platform that broadcast in eight indigenous and international languages on daily basis. “
Ndace said in the age of misinformation and outright lies about Nigeria and about institutions like the Nigerian police and other security agencies who put their lives on the line on behalf others, the media must step up to correct the negative impression.
“We are not saying the Nigerian police or other security agencies are perfect but you cannot use the miskes of a few personnel to discredit an entire institution.
We are here to offer you VON platform to tell the world what you are doing. We have to tell our own story, if we don’t tell it nobody will tell it for us. We would be in the lead in letting the world know what the Nigerian police is doing.
“Working with my management team, I promised to be forceful, delibrate and unapologetic in shaping positive narratives about Nigeria and public institutions like the Nigerian Police Force,” he said.
In his response, the IGP has reaffirmed the unwavering commitment of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) to press freedom and protection of the civic space within a democratic society.
He said, “This meeting underscores the importance of collaboration between the Police Force and media organizations in promoting transparency and accountability.
“During the visit, the DG of VON expressed appreciation for the leadership demonstrated by IGP Egbetokun and commended the Force for its proactive efforts since the IGP’s assumption of office.
“The DG highlighted the critical role that the police play in maintaining public safety and order, while also voicing strong support for the IGP’s mandate to combat the spread of disinformation and misinformation that can adversely affect public perception of the NPF and the nation as a whole.”