BY AMOS DUNIA DUNIA, ABUJA – An international workshop on Strengthening Media-Police relations in the context of Elections in Nigeria which took place in Abuja, has called for the need to check over-zealousness and over-bearing attitudes on both sides.
Participants at the workshop made up of some senior police officers, Police Public Relations Officers, editors and reporters specifically recommended that the role and functions of the media in society should be included in police training curriculum.
The 3-Day workshop which drew participant from across the country with resource persons from Canada, Ghana, Sierra Leone and Nigeria emphasized the need for confidence-building sessions between the police and media before, during and after elections.
These were contained in a communique issued at the end of the workshop which also recommends the need for better understanding and mutual respect between the police and the media during the electoral period.
It equally called for proper sensitization of both parties on assigned duties and responsibilities as well as for police to share standard operating procedures with media with a view to enhance mutual understanding.
Other resolutions of the workshop include; “The need for sensitization of the public on the use of information on social media as well as to outline the adverse effects of its wrong usage.
“The police should ensure regular press interface, briefings, press releases and press conferences. In this way, media should have full access to PPROs and the synergy should continue after elections.
“Ensure outcomes and information of meetings of police, INEC and civil society organizations is shared with the media.
Police operational briefings should include information regarding the role of the media and their relationship with police during elections.
“Police operation order should include information regarding the role of the media during elections. There is the need to incorporate security of journalists in the security architecture during elections”.
The workshop recommended the need for both formal and informal police-media interface at all levels on a regular basis.
