STOP ARMCHAIR JOURNALISM, ECONOMIC CRIMES COMMISSION BOSS TELLS JOURNALISTS
His words, “The media plays a hugely invaluable role in exposing corrupt practices in the society, and investigative journalism serves as the conscience of any nation,”, and advised journalists to stop ‘arm chair journalism’.
Penpushing further reports that, Magu, who was represented by Tony Orilade, the commission’s Acting Spokesperson, said journalists should direct and channel their energies to “exposing corruption on the society”.
He said: “An investigative journalist is the one that stands out among other journalists; one who does not engage in armchair journalism – cut and paste journalism, or brown envelope journalism, but instead, engages in deep, extensive, in-depth and serious research into issues of corruption.”
The commission’s boss described the role of an investigative journalist to that of a whistle-blower, and he called on participants at the workshop, to “take up the challenge and devote more time to investigative journalism”.
Penpushing also reports, he also emphasized the importance of keeping contacts with relevant stakeholders that will make their reports more credible and of high integrity, and also used the opportunity to call on journalists to play an active role in the upcoming general elections.
“Every Nigerian has an important role to play in ensuring that the coming elections are not only free and fair, but in addition to this, is now the added responsibility of ensuring that the elections are devoid of the now dangerous trend of vote-buying,” he said.
The Senior Program Officer, MacArthur Foundation, Amina Salihu commended the promoters of Wadata Communications Nigeria Limited for the initiative to come up with the training, stating that, “at MacArthur Foundation, we welcome every idea to reduce corruption to its barest minimum”.
