By Harry Awurumibe, Editor Abuja Bureau
A Two-Day training workshop for Nigerian journalists titled: “Capacity Building for the Media on Reporting Anti-Corruption Issues as it relates to ICPC Initiatives” organised by Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has ended with a call on the media to be circumspect in reporting corruption cases.
Also, journalists have been asked to uphold the ethics of journalism profession in the course of discharging their duties as members of the Fourth Estate of the Realm.
These calls were made by various Speakers at the ICPC training workshop held at Anti-Corruption Academy of Nigeria (ACAN), Keffi, Nasarawa State from Tuesday 25 to Wednesday 26, January, 2022.
Leading the call for journalists to exercise caution while reporting corruption cases to avoid damaging the reputation of accused persons was Barrister Ebenezer Shogunle, Deputy Director in the Legal Department of ICPC.
Shogunle who gave a lecture on “ICPC Initiatives-Sexual Harassment (Abuse of Office), Understanding Court Cases”, tasked journalists to avail themselves of the ICPC Act 2000 as it affects power to investigate reports and enquire into information relating to ICPC cases.
Said he: “A report made under Section 27 (4) sub-section (1) of this section shall not be disclosed by any person to any person other than officers of the Commission or the Attorney General until the accused person arrested or charged to court for an offence under this Act”.
Shogunle who is the lead Prosecutor for ICPC who has won many landmark cases for the Commission therefore advised journalists against rushing to “name and shame” when the case has not been determined by a competent court of law.
This view was shared by no fewer than six other Speakers at the training workshop who clearly asked journalists to be circumspect in reporting corruption cases.
They are Akeem Lawal, ICPC Director of Operations who gave lectures on “Understanding Anti-Corruption Issues-overview of the ICPC Act and ICPC Mandate (Focus on the Enforcement Mandate” and Mohammed Ashiru Baba, ICPC Director of Enlightenment and Education who spoke on Day One of the event.
Others are Dayo Aiyetan who spoke on “Investigative journalism and the Challenges of Reporting Corruption” and Yusuf Ali whose paper centered on “The Role of the Media in Reporting Corruption”
Also, Speakers on Day Two who harped on due dilligence by journalists reporting corruption cases are Kayode Adedayo who gave a paper on “ICPC Initiatives and Operations (IFFs, Asset Recovery, etc” and Abbia Udofia, ICPC Director, System Study and Review Department whose lecture is titled “Understanding ICPC Preventive Mandate”.
In her Vote of Thanks, Mrs. Azuka Ogugua, ICPC Spokesperson solicited the corporation of journalists in the fight against corruption and corrupt practices in Nigeria, pointing out that the media is an important stakeholder in the Nigerian project.
She said the Commission organised the Two-day capacity building for the media on Reporting Anti-Corruption Issues as it Relates to ICPC Initiatives to make them understand the inner workings of the agency.
The Spokesperson also said a lot of insights into how information flows in ICPC have been revealed to the participants and therefore called for their understand should they fail to get immediate response to their enquiries.
But Mrs. Ogugua assured all that her doors are wide open for the media to clarify issues before going to press.
Meanwhile, the Chairman of ICPC, Professor Bolaji Owasanoye (SAN), who declared the training workshop open virtually on Tuesday had said he believe that the workshop will enable the journalists to gain more knowledge in reporting the Anti-Corruption agency.
