The Media and Boko Haram Insurgency in Nigeria: A Content Analysis and Review

Abstract

The media is being regarded as the fourth estate of the realm, a very important institution and often plays a key role in current fight against terror all over the world. The media occupy a position that is similar to that of a middleman providing necessary information about the affairs of a particular issue to the producers, which is the government and the general public as consumer. Therefore, is susceptible to manipulation either positively or negatively. The media has been accused of contributing in the worsening state of insecurity and conflicts escalation in Nigeria due to their pattern of reportage which primarily aim at maximizing profit by manipulating the audience. More worrisome is the fact that insurgents, mainly, seek first and foremost to manipulate and explore the media for their own selfish purposes by sending out messages that will increase their publicity. This study therefore, carried out an incisive analysis of the Media and Boko Haram Insurgency in Nigeria, making references to development in Adamawa State. The major objectives of the study include: whether or not the media are accomplices to the aims of the terrorists, who crave cheap publicity to inflict pain. Therefore, it was concluded that media should deliberately work to improve upon its performance criteria so by restoring confidence reposed on it by the generality of media users and the media should adopt a more positive approach to newsgathering and reporting. Finally, Boko Haram and other terrorist groups will always continue to be as long as the government and media fail to mitigate terrorists’ exploitation of the news cycle.