By Gift ChapiOdekina, Abuja 

The Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) has announced plans to convene a National Security Summit aimed at strengthening collaboration between the media and security agencies in addressing Nigeria’s growing security challenges.

Speaking at a press conference ahead of the summit, the National President of the NUJ said the initiative was driven by the recognition that national security is a collective responsibility that requires the commitment and cooperation of all stakeholders.

According to him, the media and security institutions occupy strategic positions in shaping public discourse, promoting peace, and fostering national cohesion.

“The relationship between both institutions must be built on mutual respect, professionalism, trust and a shared commitment to the common good,” he said.

He explained that the summit would bring together journalists, security experts, government officials, and other stakeholders to discuss emerging security threats and develop practical frameworks for collaboration.

The discussions, he said, would focus on responsible security reporting, combating misinformation and disinformation, balancing national security concerns with press freedom, improving access to credible information, and strengthening cooperation between journalists and security institutions.

The NUJ President stressed that the summit was not intended to compromise the independence of the media or interfere with the operational responsibilities of security agencies.

“Rather, it is designed to deepen understanding, provide dialogue and establish a framework for cooperation that benefits Nigerians,” he stated.

He urged journalists to place national security and national interest at the centre of their professional responsibilities, noting that accurate, balanced and sensitive reporting can contribute significantly to national stability.

The union also revealed that service chiefs, security experts, ministers, the National Security Adviser, the Inspector-General of Police and other top government officials had been invited to participate in the summit.

Responding to questions from journalists, the NUJ President said the summit would produce actionable recommendations rather than the usual generic communiqués often associated with conferences.

According to him, participants will identify critical security issues, assign responsibilities to relevant stakeholders, establish timelines for implementation and create accountability mechanisms to monitor progress.

“We want it to be an actionable communiqué where issues will be identified, responsibilities assigned, timelines set and accountability mechanisms put in place,” he said.

The NUJ President also expressed concern over what he described as emerging “early warning signs” threatening national stability, including malnutrition, which he argued could contribute to social instability if left unaddressed.

He further called on government to provide support for the media industry, citing challenges such as poor remuneration, inadequate equipment and difficult working conditions faced by journalists.

“In developed countries, governments support media organizations through various intervention programmes. We should also explore ways to strengthen and support the media industry in Nigeria,” he said.

Addressing concerns about media coverage of insecurity, he acknowledged criticisms that some reports may inadvertently amplify the activities of insurgents and bandits. He, however, stressed the need for journalists to uphold professionalism and prioritize national interest in their reporting.

“By the time we begin to prioritize issues of national security and national interest, no doubt we are going to solve this crisis,” he said.

The NUJ President also highlighted the importance of women’s participation in peacebuilding and conflict prevention, assuring that women journalists and stakeholders would be actively involved in the summit’s deliberations.

He disclosed that the union plans to extend similar engagements to the six geopolitical zones of the country after the Abuja summit, with the aim of building the capacity of journalists operating in conflict-prone areas.

“We are not going to stop with tomorrow’s summit. We intend to take this initiative to all six geopolitical zones so that journalists across the country can become ambassadors of peace and agents of change,” he said.

The NUJ President further commended the growing relationship between the union and the Department of State Services (DSS), noting that there had been no reported cases of arrest, intimidation or harassment of journalists by the agency in the past one and a half years.

He described the development as a result of a new model of engagement between the NUJ and the DSS, expressing hope that other security agencies would adopt similar approaches.

The summit is expected to attract NUJ chairmen and secretaries from the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, civil society groups, development partners, security agencies, governors from selected states affected by insecurity, and senior government officials.

The Minister of Information is expected to chair the occasion. The summit will also feature presentations by security experts, academics and media professionals on strategies for enhancing media-security relations and addressing Nigeria’s security challenges.