In an era where news travels faster than thought, experts and communicators gathered in Lagos on Thursday to remind journalists of a timeless truth — that verification remains the soul of journalism.
It was at the One-Day Workshop for Media Practitioners organised by the National Association of Online Security News Publishers (NAOSNP), where leading voices from security, communications, and governance spoke with one voice on the need for truth and integrity in media practice.
Themed “Securing and Safeguarding Journalists’ Freedom: How to Avoid the Pitfalls of Cybercrime – Combating Corruption and Other Vices in Public Service: The Role of Online Journalists,” the session was both an education and a wake-up call for Nigeria’s fast-evolving online press.
Delivering the keynote address, CSP Benjamin Hundeyin, the Force Public Relations Officer, spoke passionately about the danger of speed over accuracy. “It is better to be right than to be first,” he told the audience, urging reporters to verify every detail before hitting the publish button.
He was represented by the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO)
Hundeyin’s message was clear: freedom of the press comes with responsibility. He cautioned that unverified reports can damage reputations, inflame tensions, and erode public confidence in the media. “Journalists must partner with the police for facts, not fight them for headlines,” he added, earning nods from participants.
From another perspective, Dr. Demola Bakare, fsi, Director of Public Enlightenment and Education at the ICPC, challenged journalists to see themselves as soldiers in the war against corruption and misinformation. He argued that misinformation is a form of corruption that destroys trust in institutions.
“Each unverified story weakens the moral foundation of our democracy,” Bakare said. He urged journalists to use their platforms to expose wrongdoing but to do so with facts, fairness, and the courage of integrity.
Equally compelling was Dr. Kunle Hamilton, a media trainer and reputation specialist, who spoke with the calm authority of a teacher. He reminded journalists that their first loyalty is to truth, not trends. “A journalist without credibility is like a soldier without courage,” he quipped.
Hamilton lamented the decline in verification culture among online journalists and called for continuous training in ethics, digital literacy, and media law. His message was not one of condemnation but of renewal — a call to rebuild trust, one verified story at a time.
From the corporate world came Faleye Oluwatosin Simon, Public Relations Consultant to Wema Bank, who offered a bridge between journalism and public relations. He appealed for mutual respect between both fields, insisting that ethics, not rivalry, should define their relationship.
“Journalists and PR professionals are partners in public communication,” he said. “The goal is not to hide the truth but to communicate it responsibly.” His remarks resonated deeply in a media landscape often strained by tension between newsrooms and institutions.
Other facilitators, PRO NDLEA, SRC Oluwadamilola Jayeola, PRO of FRSC Lagos Sector Command, emphasized sensitivity and accuracy when reporting security and safety issues. They reminded participants that words can save lives — or cost them.
As the workshop drew to a close, one truth echoed through the hall: journalism without verification is chaos in disguise. Each speaker, from police to corporate communicators, seemed united in that message — that truth, not speed, defines professionalism.
In his opening remarks, the NAOSNP President, Mr Samson Oki, thanked participants for their engagement and reaffirmed the association’s commitment to promoting credible, ethical, and security-conscious journalism across Nigeria.
For those in attendance, the workshop was more than a lecture — it was a mirror, reflecting what journalism must reclaim to remain society’s trusted watchdog: integrity anchored in verification.
