By Maikudi Muhammad Marafa
The Special Guest of Honour at the Kano Online Media Chapel’s one-day capacity-building workshop, Comrade Usman Bello, has called on journalists, security agencies, governments, and other stakeholders to work collectively to ensure the safety of media practitioners ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Speaking at the workshop organised by the Kano Online Media Chapel in collaboration with the Aminu Magashi Garba Foundation at the NUJ Press Centre, Farm Centre, Kano, Comrade Bello described the theme, “Election Coverage and Journalists’ Safety,” as timely, noting that the country is gradually preparing for another electoral cycle.
He said elections remain the bedrock of democracy, while journalists play a vital role in informing citizens, monitoring the electoral process, and holding institutions accountable. According to him, election coverage begins from party primaries through the declaration of results and even judicial pronouncements on election disputes, exposing journalists to harassment, intimidation, misinformation, and physical attacks.
“A democracy cannot thrive when journalists are not safe,” Comrade Bello declared, stressing that the protection of media professionals is essential to strengthening democratic governance and ensuring credible elections.
The Special Guest of Honour urged journalists to uphold the ethics of their profession by reporting truthfully, remaining impartial, and prioritising their safety, reminding them that no story is worth risking their lives. He also appealed to security agencies to regard journalists as partners in nation-building rather than adversaries and called on governments and other stakeholders to provide a secure working environment through regular training, adequate protection, and prompt action against attacks on media practitioners.
Comrade Bello commended the Kano Online Media Chapel and the Aminu Magashi Garba Foundation for organising the workshop, describing it as a timely initiative that would enhance professional standards in election reporting. He concluded by urging journalists to cover the electoral process responsibly and safely, saying, “Elections will come and go, but the nation will remain. Cover the elections, but return home safely.”
