President Muhammadu Buhari, on Sunday tasked journalists on the need to be sensitive and responsible in discharging their duties regarding the current situation of Nigeria.
Buhari urged the media against encouraging incendiary words and actions that would divide the country.
This was contained in a statement issued on Sunday by the President’s spokesperson, Femi Adesina, to mark the World Press Freedom Day.
While celebrating the World Press Freedom Day, an annual celebration marked every May 3rd, Buhari, in the statement, commended the media in the country, while urging them to use the freedom of press being enjoyed in the country to provide reliable information.
The World Press Freedom Day, marked every May 3rd, acts as a reminder to governments of the need to respect press freedom and is also a day of reflection among media professionals about issues of press freedom and professional ethics.
Buhari, in the statement, reiterated that his administration is committed to freedom of the press.
The statement reads, “The media must be sensitive to what we are going through as a country, and anything that would exacerbate the situation, and further inflame passions and emotions, should be avoided.”
“The media needs to ensure that while informing, educating, entertaining and setting agenda for public discourse, it does not encourage incendiary words and actions that could further hurt our unity in diversity.
“Licentious freedom, the President says, is different from freedom with responsibility, and charges the Nigerian media to embrace the latter, rather than the former.
“He charges those who manage information for government to do everything in the public interest, while also encouraging the media to use the Freedom of Information Act available to make its jobs easier.
“The President submits that it is very vital to have access to reliable information in an era of misinformation, disinformation and hate speech, all to cause discord in society.”
