FG chides media over ‘insensitive’ reports

The Federal Government on Wednesday chided the Nigerian media over the reportage of the Abuja bomb blast.

Minister of Information, Mr. Labaran Maku, made the government’s position known while briefing State House correspondents of the outcome of the weekly Federal Executive Council meeting presided over by President Goodluck Jonathan.


Maku was joined at the briefing by the Minister of Federal Capital Territory, Senator Bala Muhammed, and the Minister of State Health, Dr. Khaliru Alhassan.

The minister said the Nigerian media displayed high level of insensitivity by unleashing gory pictures of the incident on the citizens.

He said by their actions, the media displayed disrespect for the dead and the living and absolute insensitivity to the health of the people.

Maku said, “Let me also say that we observe with regret that in spite of the great job the media has continued to do, we saw that the way this incident was reported in the last two days has been very insensitive.

“The council noted and this is very unprofessional that the newspapers and most of the television stations just unleashed on Nigerians gory details of pictures that should never have been published on the basis of humanity, on the basis of professional ethics, and on the basis of feelings for the sensibilities of our people.

“We saw on some pages of newspapers the remains of shredded dead bodies printed on the pages of newspapers. This doesn’t happen anywhere in the world because a journalism has responsibility to the sensibility of people.

“Newspapers and televisions are watched by children and minors, and it is expected that in cases like this, professional training and commitment should be uppermost in the way we report. We continue to urge the media that, yes, we expect that whatever happens must be reported. But in reporting, we must show extra care for the psychological health of our citizens and the image of our nation.

“So, those gory pictures that were just splashed on the front pages of newspapers and even the inner pages as well as on television screens, we collectively feel that should never have been the case.

Muhammed confirmed that death toll in the explosion had risen to 75, while 126 persons were receiving treatments in hospitals across the FCT.

He added that 47 commercial motorcycles, 20 luxury buses and 20 mini buses were destroyed in the explosion.

The minister said the President had pointed out the lapses observed on the part of the FCT administration and the FCTA would, henceforth, begin to pay attention to markets and parks.

He said Jonathan also assured the council that the issue would be addressed during the next security meeting.

He said while efforts were ongoing to decentralise motor parks in the FCT, the administration would also import additional 100 buses for the citizens.