Lawrence Nwimo, Awka & Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia
Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism (WSCIJ), has concluded a two-day capacity building/ training on safety and security for investigative journalists under the Collaborative Media Engagement for Development, Inclusivity and Accountability ( CMEDIA) project.
The training was designed to improve the overall cyber safety, digital security as well as personal safety of Journalists in the field.
Speaking at the event, Executive Director/CEO, WSCIJ, Motunrayo Alaka, said the training had become necessary due to the rising threats to press freedom, safety, and security of journalists working on investigative stories.
The WSCIJ boss said the training would enhance the capacity of media professionals on measures and mechanisms for ensuring safety and security, especially during investigative reporting, and the coverage of dangerous assignments.
He urged participants to take advantage of the training to improve on their capacities and enhance their security in the course of duty.
One of the resource persons, a digital security expert, Nanbaan Pwaspo, who took the journalists on ‘digital security,’ stressed the need for journalists to understand the various forms of cyber threats.
She also touched on how to research and communicate securely using digital tools especially during investigations.
Pwaspo also re-echoed the need for journalists carrying out dangerous assignments to keep personal details and images off social media while developing effective digital security.
Managing Editor of The Nation Newspapers, (Northern Operation), Yusuf Alli, who presented paper on “How to do great stories and avoid legal pitfalls,” noted that journalists “need to be abreast with various laws and statutory provisions,” to avoid litigations that might arise from their stories.
Other resource persons also made presentations.
Over 50 journalists from different media organisations in the country, including Ikengaonline, participated in the two-day event that also featured questions and answers as well as interactive sessions.
