A lecturer at the Hassan Usman Katsina Polytechnic, Katsina, Dr. Ismail Balarabe has recommended for the inclusion of grassroots dwellers’ opinions in ending insurgency in the country.
Dr. Balarabe stated this in a paper he presented at a one day seminar on Security Awareness for Media Practitioners, Local Government Information Officers and Users of Social Media in Katsina State jointly organized by the Katsina state government Office of the Special Adviser on Security and the state Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) on Thursday.
According to him, talking to the citizens at the grassroots and giving their opinions fair representation on the media would go a long way in addressing security concerns and moulding society for the better.
He said messages aimed at dissuading citizens from being recruited into banditry and other criminal groups must also be given prominence.
Dr. Balarabe in the paper titled ‘Media as a tool in the fight against banditry and other crimes urged journalist to keep watch on social responsibility in the discharge of their professional responsibilities.
Earlier in an opening remarks, the Special Adviser on Security to governor Aminu Bello Masari, Alhaji Ibrahim Ahmad said the seminar was organized in order to create more awareness and patriotism in the participants for a better and safer united Nigeria.
Thunder Blowers Media which covered the event reports that the seminar which was declared open by the state governor, Hon Aminu Bello Masari had two other papers presented by the Head of Mass Communications Department of the Bayero University, Kano, Dr.Mukhtar El-Kasim and Dr. Bashir Usman Ruwan Godiya.
Discussants of the papers were the Waziri of Katsina, Prof. Sani Abubakar Lugga, Abubakar Ahmed of the News Agency of Nigeria and Hamisu Kabir Matazu of the Daily Trust.
