NUJ Warns Members against Unethical Conduct

By Segun Awofadeji in Bauchi

The Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) has called its members to be careful of writing reports and stories that could trigger crisis in view of the attendant implications for peaceful coexistence and social cohesion.

It also called on them to be factual in the dissemination of news and avoid using sensational and misleading headlines of reports before, during and after the 2019 general election.

The Secretary of the NUJ, Bauchi State Council Yakubu Muhammad Lame, who made the call in a statement Sunday, advised journalists to stick to professionalism and credible reporting.

The union also urged reporters to restrict themselves to the ethical framework and stipulated guidelines which would differentiate them from the regular trend of citizenship journalism.

The union expressed the need for members to “equip themselves with information and knowledge on conflicts especially its context, its underlining causes, its effects and preventive and corrective measure thereby profile peace makers and subdue voices of purveyors of intolerance and cheerleaders of hate, xenophobic and other extremists in the country”.

“The union calls on journalists in the state to exhibit high sense of professionalism in reporting events more so, as good journalism requires the provision of accurate and reliable information to citizens,” the statement stated.

The NUJ warned members that “the union will not fold its arms and allow news reports with tribal, ethnic or religious undertones to be disseminated which are considered as fake news and hate speeches”.

According to the union, members must be guided by the code of ethics of journalism, warning that “erring members would be sanctioned in accordance with the constitutional provisions to serve as deterrent to others”.