Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed has urged journalists in the country to only report Boko Haram activities only in the context of national interest.
He insisted that Journalists must not play up reports of cowardly Boko Haram attacks in the country, he said this during an interactive meeting with newspaper editors in Lagos yesterday.
He said “Gentlemen, in this time of war, you cannot afford to be neutral. Yes, you must remain professional at all times, and we are not asking you to do anything less, but you must also act in the national interest, always.
“Acting in the national interest means not playing up reports of cowardly Boko Haram attacks on soft targets. Acting in the national interest means not regurgitating the propaganda of Boko Haram and its fellow terrorist group, ISIS.
“Acting in the national interest means extolling the bravery and sacrifice of our gallant troops. Acting in the national interest means not viewing the war from a partisan prism.
“Acting in the national interest means rallying all Nigerians, irrespective of their political, religious or ethnic background, to support the war.
“They (military) have so degraded the capability of Boko Haram that the terrorists, can no longer carry out any spectacular attacks. Remember, gentlemen, that at the height of the war, Boko Haram controlled 20 of the 27 local governments in Borno.
“I can hear you saying to yourself: But the terrorists are still carrying out suicide bombings and killings.
“Gentlemen, we need peace before we can even practise our professions. We need peace before we can meaningfully revive our economy.
“We need peace for our democracy to thrive. Boko Haram is the very antithesis of peace. Boko Haram must be wiped out not just through military might but with the support and efforts of all of us.’’