Kaduna peace model: Media urged to champion peace reporting for national transformation

Media practitioners across Kaduna State have been urged to embrace peace journalism as a tool for national transformation and conflict resolution.

This call was made during a one-day capacity building workshop on Peace Reporting for National Transformation, organised by the Correspondents’ Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Kaduna State Council.

It was organised in collaboration with the Global Peace Foundation Nigeria and the Kaduna State Ministry of Information.

In his keynote address, the Country Director of Global Peace Foundation Nigeria, Rev. Joseph Hayab, emphasised that peace reportage remains an essential pillar for rebuilding nations torn by division, insecurity, and misinformation.

He described peace journalism as the “heartbeat of transformation,” capable of inspiring reconciliation, fostering dialogue, and uniting diverse communities.

Hayab said the media had a moral responsibility to highlight constructive narratives that promote unity rather than division.

“Peace reportage is not about suppressing the truth; it is about presenting it with empathy, balance, and purpose to heal and not to hurt,” he stated.

Citing global examples, Hayab referenced Rwanda’s post-genocide recovery and South Africa’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission as models where responsible media coverage played pivotal roles in fostering healing and national rebirth.

According to him, Nigeria can learn from such experiences to address its own security and social challenges.

He recommended that Nigerian media organizations invest in specialized training for journalists on peace reporting, introduce dedicated sections for peacebuilding stories, and collaborate with civil society groups to amplify grassroots peace efforts.

Haya said, “We are one family under God,” Hayab said, “and the stories we tell must unite us, not divide us.”

Delivering a presentation titled ‘Kaduna Peace Model: From Fear to Hope The Role of the Media’, the Kaduna State Commissioner for Information, Malam Ahmed Maiyaki, highlighted the state’s remarkable journey from insecurity to relative stability through non-kinetic peacebuilding strategies.

Maiyaki revealed that between 2015 and 2023, Kaduna State recorded over 4,800 deaths and thousands of kidnappings due to insecurity.

He said the administration’s community-driven peace framework, anchored on dialogue, inclusion, and socio-economic revival, had transformed many volatile areas into zones of cooperation and progress.

Maiyaki explained that the Kaduna Peace Model, developed in partnership with the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), focuses on intelligence sharing, dialogue, and engagement rather than military raids.

“You cannot bomb peace into existence; you must build it with trust,” he declared.

According to the commissioner, the model had yielded visible results as over 500 kidnapped persons had been released through negotiations.

Also, farming and trading activities had resumed in Giwa and Birnin Gwari, and previously deserted roads are now safe for travel. “We are not declaring victory; we are declaring commitment,” he added.

Maiyaki also shared inspiring stories of former bandits who have repented and are now acting as community peacekeepers and mediators.

He urged the media to amplify such success stories, counter misinformation, and promote hope-driven narratives that sustain peace.

Earlier delivering her goodwill message, the Chairperson of the Correspondents’ Chapel, Hajiya Maryam Suka, expressed delight over the workshop’s impact.

She stressed that journalists had a duty to use their platforms to bridge divides and build trust.

Suka said, “As reporters, we shape public opinion; let’s choose to shape it toward unity and development.”

She encouraged participants to adopt conflict-sensitive reporting techniques, learn from experts, and use the Kaduna Peace Model as a guiding framework in reporting security-related issues.

“Our goal is to change the prevailing narratives from fear to hope,” Suka added.

The guest lecturer and Head of the Department of Strategic Communications and Media Studies, Kaduna Polytechnic, Mrs Fatimah Shuaibu, presented a paper titled ‘Peace Building: Media as a Shield for National Growth’.

She examined that Nigeria’s history of crises and the role of the media in mitigating them, urging that the nation’s diversity should be a source of strength, not conflict.

Shuaibu said that while social media had expanded the communication landscape, it had also created challenges in verifying information and preventing the spread of hate speech.

She urged journalists to uphold ethical standards, verify facts, and consciously report in ways that build peace and social cohesion.

Supreme news reports that the workshop also called for a collective commitment by participants to adopt the principles of peace journalism in their reporting.

They resolved to promote inclusive dialogue, highlight stories of resilience, and support the Kaduna Peace Model as a living example of how trust, engagement, and responsible media can turn fear into hope and drive national transformation.