Osogbo, Osun State — The Department of State Services has restated its new operational philosophy of less visibility and more impact under the leadership of its Director-General, Mr. Oluwatosin Ajayi, as the Osun State Command called for a renewed partnership with the media to strengthen national security and public order.
The Director of the Osun State DSS Command, Mr. Victor Okon Edet, FSI, disclosed this when a delegation of the Osun NUJ Online Media Chapel, led by its Chairman, Mr. Isa Isawade, paid a courtesy visit to the Command’s headquarters in Osogbo as part of its Familiarity and Partnership Drive.
Edet said the DSS under DG Ajayi had been mandated to maintain less visibility and be heard but not seen, a strategic posture designed to allow the Service to focus on its core mandate of intelligence gathering and national security without unnecessary public attention. He described the visit by the Chapel as timely and necessary, noting that the partnership that should exist between security agencies and the media had over time been eroded, marred or destroyed in many cases.
He acknowledged the media as the Fourth Estate of the Realm of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and said if issues are not published or reported, they will never be known. He cited the recent Ondo State alcohol consumption-related deaths as an example of how timely reportage can save lives and prevent further tragedies.
The DSS Director commended the role the media played during the just-concluded Osun Governorship Election, saying the professionalism displayed by journalists contributed significantly to the relatively peaceful conduct of the exercise and had placed Osun on the radar as a case study for future elections in Nigeria.
He however urged the Chapel, as the officially accredited regulatory body for online journalism practitioners in Osun State under the full backing of the National Body of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, to ensure proper registration of practitioners, which he said must be sacrosanct for clarity and identification. He warned that the proliferation of unregistered and unaccountable online media operators poses a serious threat to national security and public order.
Edet charged the Chapel to operate strictly within the ambit of the law, particularly on the issue of cyber-bullying, which he described as a scourge plaguing the online space. He emphasized that the Chapel must ensure its members do not become instruments of harassment or intimidation under the guise of journalism.
He also cautioned against excessive reporting on the activities of bandits and criminals so as not to give them the publicity they crave to thrive, noting that security personnel are exposed to high risks in the course of their duties. He stressed the importance of thorough fact-checking and operating in the interest of national unity.
The Director expressed concern over emerging security challenges in the state, pointing out that forceful takeovers of motor parks are taking sway in Osun State. He questioned why the NURTW in the South West seems so entrenched in governance and politicking and urged the Chapel to investigate and call out the facts to help arrest the developing problem with constructive and lasting solutions.
He also raised alarm over illegal mining, charging the Chapel to investigate and expose the problem and its perpetrators, noting that illegal mining deprives the nation of legitimate revenue and fuels insecurity and environmental degradation.
Earlier, Chairman of the Osun NUJ Online Media Chapel, Mr. Isa Isawade, said the visit was part of the Chapel’s deliberate strategy to position itself for maximum functionality in fulfilling its core mandate to serve as a bridge between the online media space and critical stakeholders. He explained that the Chapel was established as a veritable regulator of online journalism to address misinformation, disinformation and unprofessional conduct, and is composed of seasoned professionals committed to accuracy, fairness and ethical journalism.
Isawade said the Chapel’s regulatory role is not punitive but corrective and developmental, designed to sanitize the online media ecosystem and restore public confidence in digital journalism.
Edet promised adequate support and collaboration with the Chapel, assuring that the DSS would work closely with it to ensure online journalism in Osun State operates within the bounds of the law and in the interest of national security.
