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By Amos Okioma, Yenagoa
The Central Naval Command, (CNC) Nigerian Navy, Yenagoa, has urged media practitioners in Bayelsa to maintain professionalism in their reportage, and to balance stories, for the sake of national security and to ensure peace and stability in the Niger Delta region.
The Flag Officer Commanding, the Central Naval Command, Rear Admiral Saidu Garba, said this when executive members of the Federated Correspondents’ Chapel of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) visited the command headquarters in Yenagoa Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.
According to him, CNC was established in 2012. Its area of responsibility covers Bayelsa Delta, Edo, Kogi and others, while Rear Admiral Garba is the 10th FOC serving the command.
Garba told the visitors that the media could play their role through balanced, investigative and responsible reportage.
The FOC, therefore, urged the media not to report activities of security agencies in the country in such a way that the people would lose confidence in their capacity to maintain law and order, as well as ensure peace and security in the society.
He further appealed to the media not to report crime in such a way that criminals would seem to be glorified.
“We work 24 hours of the day to ensure that peace and stability is maintained in the society and our area of responsibility.
“The area is witnessing a lot of criminal activities, ranging from pipeline vandalism, crude oil theft, illegal refineries, piracy on the high sea, sea robbery and those operating on the river illegally,” he said.
Garba said the command has been sensitizing across the society, communities and stakeholders on the need to preserve the environment.
He said: “When you destroy the environment, there will be nothing for our great grand-children to inherit.
“We started it from Delta State. Here in Bayelsa, we have been able to meet with some traditional rulers and their subjects.
“We must take due cognizance because those things that have degraded our environment is not the best for us. This has been the massage we have been passing, through the Chief of Naval Staff,” he said.
He said that the Nigerian Navy was always ready and committed to securing government’s critical infrastructure and oil facilities to boost the country’s economy in the Niger Delta region and the country at large.
Earlier, the chairman, Federated Correspondents’ Chapel, Mr Julius Osahon, said the visit was to facilitate collaboration with the security organisation to ensure continuous peace in the Niger Delta region in particular and Nigeria at large.
