Katsina State government said it has spent over N10 billion to improve security in some troubled local government areas of the state.
Speaking with some journalists in Katsina, the commissioner for information and culture, Dr Bala Salisu Zango, said the government since inception had prioritized the fight against banditry and other related crimes and criminality in the state.
The commissioner stressed that since the creation of the Community Watch Corps (CWC), the state has been experiencing relative peace, urging journalists to keep on informing the good people of the state on what the government is doing to improve security and harmonious living.
He added that security is a collective responsibility of the government, press and the people in the state and reaffirmed the government’s commitment and readiness to support the press.
The commissioner also tasked the journalists to be objective and balanced in their reports in line with the ethics of the profession, adding that they should not also tarnish the image of the state and scare away investors from the state.
“On the issue of insecurity, journalists have the responsibility to report and the people also have the responsibility to know, but at least we have to apply the ethics of journalism in reporting this insecurity in Katsina State.
“I know it is your task but at times you have to consider the ethics of the profession, why because there are situations when we echo insecurity in the state, then I think we are damaging the image of the generality of the state, because we need investors, and too much reporting of this insecurity maybe scaring the people that have the interest to invest in the state”, he said.