By Athan Agbakwuru, Owerri
The Nigerian Correctional Service, NCoS, Imo State Command has identified dissemination of false information as the second most dangerous problem facing Nigeria after insecurity, stressing that all hands must be on deck to end the menace of fake news in the country.
Comptroller of the NCoS in Imo, K. A. Njoku made the assertion Thursday when he formally unveiled the ‘Information Not Disinformation’ campaign initiative of the Correspondents Chapel, Nigeria Union of Journalists, Imo State Council.
Njoku who commended the Chapel for the enlightenment campaign aimed at effective partnerships with security agencies in Imo to fight insecurity through responsive journalism and accurate reporting gave his Command’s nod to laudable initiative.
He thanked the Chapel for thinking toward what he described as ‘holistic partnership’ with critical stakeholders on national security pointing out that the campaign would help correct erroneous public impressions about the NCoS and other security agencies in the fight against crime.
The Imo NCos boss pledged his command’s readiness for productive engagements with the chapel to stem the tide of disinformation in the fight against insecurity in Imo State.
His words, “Apart from insecurity, the greatest problem in Nigeria is disinformation because while security agencies are doing their best, members of the public are often being misinformed about our efforts in some sections of the media.
“I, therefore, appreciate this partnership because it will go a long way in fighting fake news and further stabilizing the society and enhancing development at all levels.”
Commenting on the operations of his organization, Comptroller Njoku disclosed that Imo Command is doing a lot in the areas of support for inmates and their reintegration into the larger society through sponsorship of skills training and academic pursuits among others.
In his speech earlier, Chairman of the Correspondents’ Chapel, Mr Chinonso Alozie, commended the men and officers of Imo NCoS for their commitment to effective partnerships and assured them that the chapel’s campaign against disinformation would not only attack fake news but also benefit all and sundry.
According to him, the campaign would be launched in the state after sensitization visits to security agencies in the state saying, “We are currently sensitizing security agencies in the state on the need for effective partnerships for a more responsive journalism which aims to inform rather than misinform the public.
“Soon, when we conclude the sensitization visits, we will proceed with an official launch of the Information Not Disinformation campaign and the era of misinformation by quacks will be a thing of the past”, he said.
Highpoint of the event was the handing over of the Partnership Letter to the Comptroller by Comrade Alozie, in the presence of Chapel executives and management staff of the NCoS in Imo.
