Against the backdrop of prolonged conflict, insecurity, and humanitarian crises in Nigeria’s Northeast, Amnesty International Nigeria has trained 65 journalists from the region on ethical, responsible, and human rights-centred reporting.
The two-day media training, titled Human Rights-Centred Journalism, was held in Yola, the Adamawa State capital, and brought together journalists covering insurgency, displacement, gender-based violence, and governance in conflict-affected communities.
Speaking on “Journalism with a Gender Lens: Protecting Rights, Shaping Narratives,” Dr Anne Agi, a lecturer in the Law Department of the University of Calabar, said journalists reporting conflict must recognise the media’s power to either reinforce inequality or promote justice.
She described the media as “a mirror that reflects inequality or a lens that refracts it towards justice,” urging journalists to deliberately challenge harmful stereotypes, amplify women’s voices, and highlight stories of resilience within conflict-affected communities. Dr Agi cautioned against gender clichés and called for rights-based, gender-conscious newsroom policies.
In a session on “Applying Media Ethics in Daily Practice: From Code to Conduct,” Dr Kabiru Danladi of the Department of Mass Communication, Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, warned against sensationalising violence, displacement, and trauma, stressing that human dignity must remain central to conflict reporting.
Addressing the risks journalists face in volatile environments, Dr John Omilabu, in his presentation on “Reporting Under Threat: Practical Safety Strategies for Journalists,” noted that reporters in the North-East are exposed to physical, digital, and psychological dangers.
“No journalist should die for a story,” he said, advising journalists to assess risks carefully and know when to withdraw in order to protect their lives.
Legal practitioner and human rights activist, Dr Abdul Mahmud, who spoke on “Press Freedom and the Law: Navigating Legal Risks in Journalism,” urged journalists to deepen their understanding of the journalism Code of Ethics and the Nigerian Constitution, particularly when reporting security operations and rights violations. He also encouraged constructive engagement with security agencies and the judiciary to reduce legal exposure.
Veteran journalist Zainab Okino, in her presentation on “Journalism Theory and Practice: A Human Rights Perspective,” challenged journalists to resist self-censorship when reporting abuses in conflict zones. She acknowledged the pressures and risks involved but maintained that journalists, as frontline human rights defenders, must report accurately, fairly, and with respect for human dignity.
Facilitators at the training also stressed the importance of verifying information in conflict situations, protecting the identities of victims and survivors, and ensuring that displaced persons, women, and other vulnerable groups are not silenced in the media.
Earlier, Amnesty International Nigeria’s Media and Communications Manager, Doshima Tsee, said the training was designed to strengthen journalists’ capacity to report human rights issues responsibly in conflict-affected areas, noting that accurate and ethical reporting remains critical to accountability, peacebuilding, and national development.
