AN ASSESSMENT OF THE EFFECTIVENESS OF NEWSPAPER COVERAGE OF KIDNAPPING IN NIGERIA COMPARATIVE STUDY OF THE PUNCH AND DAILY VANGUARD

AN ASSESSMENT OF THE EFFECTIVENESS OF NEWSPAPER COVERAGE OF KIDNAPPING IN NIGERIA COMPARATIVE STUDY OF THE PUNCH AND DAILY VANGUARD

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of the Study

Civil unrest, terror threats, endemic corruption and ongoing abductions of Nigerians, such as the well-publicised kidnapping of faculty-women via way of means of terrorist institution Boko Haram, underscore the persevering with demanding situations of fighting contemporary-day slavery in Nigeria. Modern slavery takes area in the context of human trafficking and, once in a while starts offevolved with kidnapping. Yet, kidnapping isn’t a brand new phenomenon. Religious parables determined withinside the Holy Bible and the Holy Qur’an approximately the sly abduction of Prophet Joseph (can also additionally peace be unto him) are symptoms that kidnapping is as antique as human history. However, Tzanelli (2006,p.128) stated that the contemporary-day utilization of the term ‘kidnapping’ dates returned to 17th-century Britain wherein infants (‘kid’) of wealthy households have been ‘napped’ (stuck withinside the sleep) for ransom.

The fashion is at the boom everywhere in the world, due to the fact the Global Slavery Index (2014) mentioned that in the course of 2014, men, girls and youngsters remain abducted in village raids and held as slaves via way of means of militias in jap DRC (Democratic Republic of Congo). In April and May 2014, 267 girls and women suffered sexual violence via way of means of armed agencies. In Nigeria, additionally, kidnapping is ongoing because the early 1990s (Hazen & Horner 2007). Tzanelli (2006,p.128) Kidnappings hold to make a contribution to a weather of lack of confidence withinside the South East, the Niger Delta and the South-western region. Hostages have maximum these days additionally been taken withinside the states of Northern Nigeria. Between 2008 and 2010, the Nigeria Police Force recorded 887 instances throughout the us of a (Action on Armed Violence, 2013).

Kidnapping is taking area anywhere in Nigeria; it’s miles a countrywide trouble that has eaten so deep into the cloth of the us of a however it takes area greater withinside the second of terrorism, insurgency and different sorts of political violence. The kidnapping of 250 women in a women’ secondary faculty in Chibok, Borno State in 2014 and lots of greater via way of means of Boko Haram constitute the developing prevalence of the abduction in Nigeria (Dodo, 2010).

Hazen and Horner (2007,p.65) mentioned that a few agencies withinside the Niger Delta have used the kidnapping of worldwide oil people to elevate worldwide interest concerning the plight of these dwelling withinside the Delta, the environmental harm because of oil spills and the oil industry, and the call for for greater neighborhood possession of the extraction of natural resources. The use of this tactic has now no longer been absolutely political in nature, as there are reviews of sizeable ransom payments, that have then been used to fund the sports of those agencies further. In fact, the strategy has confirmed so rewarding that some of crook agencies seem to have taken at the venture so as sincerely to make money. Apart from producing money, kidnapping has different severe outcomes at the sufferers and their relatives, in addition to the State at large. This calls for a scientific exam of the trouble so that it will become aware of its underlying elements and its devastating outcomes for coverage pointers for tackling the trouble in Nigeria and beyond. There are different research formerly carried out at the kidnapping phenomenon.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

Security of lives and property is one of the issues that attracts the attention of both the masses and government of a given society indeed, any breach of security whether in the form of kidnapping, abduction, bomb explosion and so on, which could result in physical injury against a victim, destruction of properties or loss of human lives is usually least appreciated by most peace loving individuals, groups and governments alike. Yet, it appears that a breach of security in Nigeria particularly kidnapping, is becoming more rampant than ever before in recent years.
One would reason that the mass media which has a social responsibility to provide the public with adequate information about certain incidents in the society, could have paid greater attention to issues bordering on kidnapping and inform the public accordingly. While the broadcast media may not have assigned more air-time to such issues because of too many other programmes, it is assumed that magazine reports on those issues may not have been adequately given the periodic nature of magazine. It therefore becomes pertinent to ask the basic question:
to what extend did Nigerian newspapers report kidnapping in the country.

1.3 Purpose of the survey

Therefore, the purpose of this study is formulated as follows.

Me. Investigate cause of kidnapping in Nigeria

ii. Determine how often kidnappings are reported in selected Nigerian newspapers.

iii. Determine the importance given to reporting of abductions in selected Nigerian newspapers. IV. Determine the depth of kidnapping coverage in selected Nigerian newspapers.

v. Determines the direction of kidnapping coverage in Nigerian newspapers Punch and Guardian.

1.4 Research question

This survey will attempt to adequately answer the following questions: Me. What Causes Kidnappings in Nigeria?

Me. What do selected Nigerian newspapers cover?

ii. How important is the coverage of kidnappings in selected Nigerian newspapers?

iii. How widely is the kidnapping reported in your chosen Nigerian newspaper?

IV. Where did the coverage of the kidnapping story in the Nigerian newspapers The Punch and The Guardian go?