Samoa Deal: Media Ombudsman Acknowledges Receipt of FG’s Complaint, Begins Probe
Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja
The National Media Complaints Commission (NMCC), otherwise known as the Ombudsman, yesterday acknowledged the receipt of a complaint against Daily Trust Newspaper on its report on the $150 billion Samoa deal, stressing that it had begun full investigation into the matter.
In a statement jointly signed by its Chairman, Emeka Izeze and Interim Secretary, Feyi Smith, the NMCC assured that its inquiry will be thorough and impartial.
It stated that it received a formal complaint from the federal government against the Daily Trust newspaper, which it alleged published an article on July 4, 2024 “containing false and misleading information that severely threatens national security”.
In the complaint, dated July 8, 2024, and signed by Dr. Ngozi Onwudiwe, Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Information and National Orientation, on behalf of Information Minister, Alhaji Mohammed Idris, the government, the NMCC said, alleged that on July 4, 2024, the newspaper published on its front page a news item titled “LGBT: Nigeria Signs $150 Billion Samoa Deal.”
In the report, the ombudsman said that the federal government alleged that the newspaper reported that the government had endorsed a European Union (EU) partnership agreement (referred to as the ‘Samoa Agreement’) with member states of the Organisation of African, Caribbean, and Pacific States (OACPS).
It further stated that this was allegedly, according to the paper, despite some conditional clauses that compel benefiting nations to support the agitations by the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer (LGBTQ) community for recognition.
The government described the report as ‘false and misleading’ and said that as a result of the alleged false report, ‘individuals and government officials have been subjected to hate speech, threats, intimidation, and cyberbullying across social media.’
It therefore asked the NMCC to intervene in the matter and, among other things: Carry out a thorough investigation of the alleged misleading publication as well as direct the newspaper’s management to publicly retract and correct the alleged false information, with equal prominence as the original article.
The federal government is also demanding that the ombudsman directs the newspaper’s management to issue an unequivocal apology for allegedly recklessly disseminating false information.
It is also asking the company to: “Implement stricter editorial guidelines to prevent a repeat of such alleged unwholesome report by any newspaper in the future.”
The NMCC said it had sent a formal acknowledgment letter dated July 10, 2024 and signed by its interim secretary, Smith, to the ministry, informing it that the complaint was receiving the attention of the commission, and that the outcome would be duly communicated to the government.
The management of Daily Trust , it stressed, will be contacted shortly for its response.
“As an independent media regulatory body, it is our duty to promote media adherence to the highest standards of professionalism and ethical conduct, as well as ensure that the media operate in a free and unfettered environment.
“In accordance with this mandate and our established procedures, we have commenced an investigation into the government’s allegations.
“We assure the public that our inquiry will be thorough and impartial. We look forward to receiving the full cooperation of all parties involved and pledge to continue to ensure transparency throughout this process,” the statement stressed.
The ombudsman is an independent, multi-stakeholder co-regulatory body established by the Nigerian Press Organisations (NPO), made up of the Newspaper Proprietors Association of Nigeria (NPAN), the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE), and the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), in collaboration with the Guild of Corporate Online Publishers (GOCOP) and the Broadcasting Organisations of Nigeria (BON).
The body is tasked with providing the public with an independent forum for resolving complaints about the press; resolving all complaints quickly, fairly and free of charge; maintaining high standards of journalism practice and journalistic ethics; and defending the freedom of the press and the rights of the people to know.
