Security Expert Charges Media Practitioners On Safety.

As part of measures to mitigate the hazards in journalism practice, a Security Expert, Yemi Oyebade has charged media practitioners in the country to always access and re-evaluate the risk factor in every assignments.

Oyebade, Head, Private Guard Department, Nigerian Security and Civil Defense Corps(NSCDC, Egor LG) gave the charge recently during a media training with the theme, "The Media and Security Reporting", organized by Nigeria Union of Journalists, (NUJ) Observer Chapel in Benin City.

Oyebade who urged journalists to be neutral at all times, enjoined them to have in depth knowledge of any environment they find themselves, and as well take their health serious which according to him is the first step to optimal performance.

The training which had resource persons drawn from the security and allied groups, the media and civil society, Oyebade said was apt in view of current security challenges in some parts of the country.

On his part, a veteran journalist  Mr Tony Abolo called for the independence of the media and the freedom of practitioners to  speak truth on issues that affects the unity of the country.

Abolo, while admonishing journalists not to be unmindful of their personal safety and the overall good of the nation, enjoined practitioners to adhere to the ethics of the profession.

Also, a representative of the Civil Society, Rev. Samuel Isibor admonished media practitioners to take advantage of the training to further hone their skills, improve their reportage and their personal disposition.

Earlier in her opening remarks, chairperson, NUJ Observer Chapel, Mrs Ijeoma Umeh said training and re-training as well as the empowerment of members with Information Communication Technology, (ICT) gadgets was one of the cardinal objectives of the current chapel's executive.

Mrs Umeh who commended the chapel's training committee for the event, said it will go a long way in enhancing members journalistic capacity like previous trainings organized by the committee.

Chairman of the committee, Comrade Tunde Eigbiremolen said the training was informed by the need to adequately equip journalists to meet the dynamics of reportage in the current  political dispensation.

Highpoint of the event was a presentation by an Agriculturist from International Institute for Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Prince Paul Adewale who enjoined practitioners to go into farming for food Security and sustainable income.