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CP Azare warns journalists: Unverified crime and security reports can prejudice investigations, damage reputations and endanger lives.
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Arrest is not conviction: Police commissioner cautions against trial by media and urges journalists to respect the presumption of innocence.
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Verify viral reports: Journalists told to authenticate social media claims, photographs and videos and obtain confirmation from authorised sources before publication.
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Police, Judiciary, NUJ partnership: Azare advocates sustained training and stronger collaboration among justice and security institutions to improve crime and court reporting.
August 27, (THEWILL) — The Commissioner of Police, Akwa Ibom State Command, CP Baba Mohammed Azare, has charged journalists to prioritise verification, accuracy and fairness before publishing reports, particularly on crime, security and ongoing investigations.
Azare gave the charge yesterday, at a symposium on Effective Crime and Court Reporting, organised by the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Akwa Ibom State Council, in collaboration with the Akwa Ibom State Judiciary, at the Patience (Kemi) Umo Eno Auditorium, NUJ Press Centre, Uyo.
The police commissioner warned that the speed of digital communication and social media should not push journalists into publishing unverified information.
He stressed that inaccurate reports could prejudice investigations, damage reputations, endanger lives and interfere with judicial proceedings.
He said professional journalists must distinguish between a suspect, accused person, defendant and convicted person, emphasising that an arrest does not amount to guilt.
According to him, “It is the court, not the Police, not social media and not the conventional media that determines guilt according to law.”
Azare cautioned journalists against trial by media, urging them to report allegations as allegations and avoid headlines or reports that pronounce suspects guilty before a competent court reaches a decision.
He further explained that journalists should understand why certain details may not immediately be released during ongoing investigations, noting that premature disclosure could alert suspects, compromise evidence, expose witnesses, frustrate arrests or endanger victims and investigating officers.
The commissioner urged journalists to verify the location and timing of incidents, establish the source of information, confirm reports with the Police or relevant authorities and authenticate photographs and videos before publication.
He said being the first to publish a report was less important than getting the facts right.
“Being first is important in journalism, but being accurate is more important. A false report published in seconds may require years to repair the damage it causes,” he said.
Azare also warned against simply reproducing viral social media reports, urging crime reporters to subject such information to professional scrutiny and seek confirmation from authorised security agencies before publication.
He called for greater sensitivity when reporting cases involving children, victims of sexual offences, trafficking victims and other vulnerable persons, stressing that journalists must balance public interest with the privacy and dignity of victims.
On court reporting, the police commissioner advised journalists to clearly distinguish between allegations, evidence presented in court, arguments by lawyers and actual findings or decisions of the court.
He noted that statements made by counsel were not necessarily findings of the court, while allegations contained in a charge should not be reported as convictions.
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Azare advocated stronger institutional collaboration among the police, judiciary, Nigerian Bar Association and NUJ, as well as regular training programmes for crime and court reporters.
He also urged media organisations to develop specialised crime and judiciary correspondents who understand criminal procedure, relevant laws and professional ethics.
The commissioner called on police officers to maintain professional relations with journalists and respect their legitimate duties, while urging officers to adhere to established communication protocols and protect sensitive operational information.
He commended the leadership of the Akwa Ibom NUJ, led by Comrade Nsibiet John, for organising the symposium, describing it as an important platform for strengthening understanding and cooperation among the Police, Judiciary and media.
In his remarks, the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr Aniekan Umana, also commended the NUJ leadership for the initiative, saying the symposium would enhance journalists’ capacity to operate effectively in the digital age.
Umana urged journalists to uphold impartiality and verification, particularly when reporting breaking judicial developments, stressing the need to obtain authentic court judgments before publishing reports on court decisions.
Azare said the Police Command would continue to maintain an open and constructive relationship with the media, while urging journalists to hold institutions accountable without compromising accuracy, fairness or the integrity of investigations and judicial proceedings.
