Fake News: Ogun NSCDC Commandant Harps on Training, Retraining of Journalists

Agency Report/

Ogun State Commandant of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC), Alhaji Hammed Abodunrin, has called for regular training and retraining of journalists to reduce fake news reportage.

Abodunrin spoke while receiving the South-West Zonal Manager of News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Mr Olagoke Olatoye, who paid him a courtesy call on Wednesday in Abeokuta.

He said that the training and retraining of media practitioners had become imperative to avoid situations where they themselves would become victims of fake news.

The commandant said that journalists should ensure that they did not allow fake news to threaten the peace and stability of the nation by continually heating up the polity.

Abodunrin called on media organizations to invest heavily in training their reporters and editors to enable them to identify fake news and avoid them.

He also urged media practitioners to always promote issues that would enhance the nation’s unity in their reportage, rather than giving attention to sensational news capable of creating division.

Abodunrin, also a trained journalist, promised to collaborate with NAN to foster “peace journalism”, as part of efforts to promote unity in Ogun and Nigeria at large.

“We will keep supporting your agency. It is going to be mutual relationship and positive partnership.

“NSCDC will try as much as possible to key into your services as a news agency. We will continue to patronize you so that you can keep projecting our activities,” he said.

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