ABSTRACT

In this study, the researcher setnut to examine the role of the media in the crusade against global terrorism.  Towards achieving this end, 79 staff of two media houses in Nigeria, namely the publishers of the punch and vanguard newspapers were used as the study sample.  These 89 members of the study sample were given 89 copies of structured questionnaires to complete.  The analysis of their responses led to the following findings.

i.            The Nigeria media had been playing notable role in the crusade or war against global terrorism.  Some of these roles include the publication/reporting of informative and up-to-date news on the dangers of terrorism; the making of compassionate appeals to terrorists to desist from such devilish acts and the exposing of the hideouts of some notorious terrorists.

ii.          The Nigerian media had, through their activities, made positive impact as regards reducing the incidence of global terrorism.

iii.        Through their anti-terrorism crusade, the Nigerian media has discouraged terrorists from using the country as their hideouts.

On the basis of the above findings, the researcher recommended that, in order to enhance the anti-terrorism campaign of the Nigerian media, the government should subsidize the cost of printing/publishing materials (such as ink, paper, and lithographic machines, the printing press etc).  the researcher also recommended that the government should improve the nation’s broadcasting infrastructure such as the transmitters and the satellite.  In addition, media practitioners in the country are enjoined (urged) to intensify their efforts to ensure that they report up-to-date news on terrorism.

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1      BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY

In the late 1980’s, terrorism appeared to be on the decline.  However, a new breed of terrorists has emerged, particularly from the Middle East countries, (Arata, 2001:52).  It is important to note that the present – day terrorist threat comes primarily from extremists who have established their own funding networks through traffic in drugs, private-business, independent wealth, charities and local financial support.  Also these terrorists had continued to be as ruthless as ever (Eze, 200:67).

Nsidi (2002:61) reported that recent years saw a proliferation of senseless act of terrorism.

Some of these acts of terrorism, as reported in the Nigerian media include the following:-

1.     The bombing of Israel:     Embassy in Buenos Aires, Argentina in March 12, 1992.

2.          The release of the deadly serin gas onto the Tokyo (Japan) subway trains on March 20, 1995.

3.          The bombing of a federal building at Oklahona – City (U.S.A) in April 1995.

4.          The bombing of a bank in Colombo (Srilanka) in January 31, 1996 by ethnic terrorists.

5.          The detonation of a bomb in a parking garage by Irish terrorists in London (English) on February 9, 1996.

6.          The blowing up of a bus in Jerusalem (Israel) by a suicide bomber on February 25, 1996.

7.          The explosion of a bomb outside a U.S. military housing facility in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia in June 25,1995.

8.           The bombing of the World Trade Centre (WTC) Building in New York (U.S.A.) on September 11, 2001.

9.          The various Christian – Moslem riots of (1997, 1999, 2000 and 2002) in Nigeria, among others.

In general, terrorists seem to exhibit less restraint than they did in the past.  There is also new choices of weapons at the disposal of the terrorists.  According to Udoji (2001:66):

“…. We live in an age of unimaginable – rage and apocalyptic arsenals – nuclear, chemical and biological”.