As the 2027 elections are approaching, the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Oyo State Council, has called on its members to more security-conscious before, during and after the elections.
The Union gave the advice in a communiqué issued after its monthly Congress, held on Saturday at the Abib Olamitoye Hall of the NUJ Press Centre, Iyaganku, Ibadan.
The Congress, held under the leadership of the state chairman, Mr. Akeem Abas, deliberated on the state of the nation, the media landscape, and the welfare of media practitioners.
2027 Elections And Security Awareness
On safety and professional conduct during the 2027 elections, the Union called for security awareness and urged members to maintain a high level of security-consciousness before, during, and after the 2027 elections.
Journalists practicing in the state were counseled to remain professional, objective, and non-partisan in the discharge of their constitutional duties.
Members were also strictly warned to desist from attending press conferences
To ensure their personal safety, members were strictly warned to desist from attending press conferences or official engagements held at undesignated or unofficial centres to safeguard their personal safety.
An appeal was also made to political actors and stakeholders not to heat up the polity by embracing clean, issue-based campaigns that would be devoid of blackmail, character assassination, and cyberbullying.
As part of the measures to ensure the physical safety of journalists, politicians and political parties were urged to utilise the NUJ Press Centre for their media briefings and press conferences, as electioneering activities ramp up.
The Congress frowned at and expressed concern over the growing volume of fake news, misinformation, and unverified content proliferating across social media platforms.
It, therefore, called for the effective enforcement of existing cyber laws to curb the dissemination of false information capable of causing public panic, social unrest, and security breaches.
It urged security agencies to put in place strategic security operations by mapping out robust, proactive operational strategies to address public safety concerns throughout the electioneering and election periods.
It strongly advised proprietors of media organisation to provide comprehensive insurance cover for all journalists deployed to cover political campaigns and elections to guarantee their safety and peace of mind.
The communiqué, signed by the Secretary, NUJ, Oyo State Council, Temidayo Adu, was drafted by Comrades Segunfunmi Oyedokun, Olawale Asake and Aminat Busari-Adeleke.
