THE CHIBOK GIRLS’ KIDNAPP CONTROVERSIES: ANALYSIS OF NIGERIAN NEWSPAPERS’ COVERAGE

Ifeoma Vivian Dunu, Godfrey Ekene Okafor

Abstract


The agenda setting role of the media which is considered one of the key functions of the media is often reflected in news media framing and coverage of issues. This relates to the notion that the media by selecting what content to publish and how and what language to use and even the quantity of informed coverage succeeds in telling people what to think and in raising, awareness, knowledge or at times controversies and misconceptions about national issues. This premise foregrounds the argument of this study. Though some studies had examined the Chibok girls abduction of April 14, 2014, in Borno State yet the nature of informed coverage by the Nigerian news media has not been adequately engaged. This paper interrogates  the   “ how ’’ of   Nigerian print media coverage of the Chibok Girls Abduction to understand the degree of coverage by the Nigerian Newspapers;  dominant focus; the newspaper’s sources of information and  how the newspapers frame the Abduction. With the use of Content Analysis, this work studied reports of the Chibok girls in the Nigerian Newspapers from April 16, 2014 to September 22nd, 2014. Four newspapers were sampled based on national spread and their owners’ ethno-religious backgrounds as follows: Daily Sun, Daily Trust, Nation and Guardian.  Selection of one newspaper edition per week was considered appropriate and for each of the four newspapers used, 24 editions were selected (one from each of the 24 weeks that make up the six months period – April 16, 2014 to September 22, 2014), which amounts to 96 editions. Even as the  study found a widespread coverage and prominence of the Chibok girls’ issues by the Nigerian newspapers, which corroborates existing studies in this area , the study found that majority of the coverage was non investigative ,with episodic frame that could be possible because of Nigerian news media use of mostly government sources . The study findings point to the fact that informed coverage of conflict situations in Nigeria is still a major challenge for the Nigerian media and this could probably lead to a lot of misconceptions regarding conflict situations by the Nigerian publics .

Keywords


Nigerian Newspapers, Chibok Girls, Terrorism, Framing, Controversies, Conflict Reporting

Full Text:

PDF

References


Adeyemi, O. (2012). Newspapers coverage of the December 25, 2011 bomb blast at St. Theresa’s Catholic Church, Madala, Niger State. Journal of Social Sciences, 4(1):33 – 54.

Aluya, O. & Gukas, R. (2012). Coverage of 2009 Jos crisis in The Guardian and Daily Trust newspapers.” In D. O. Muazu (ed.), Political communication in Nigeria: past, present and future. Minna: Polymath.

Asika, N. (1991). Research methodology in the behavioural sciences. Lagos: Longman.

Asemah, S.E. (2013). Public perception of mass media framing of terrorism in Nigeria: implications for national unity. Journal of communication and language arts: vol.4 (1).

Awobuyide, A. (2003). ) Coverage of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks in the US by Nigeria newspapers: A study of Daily Champion, Daily Times, The Guardian, The Nigerian Tribune and New Nigerian. Journal of social inquiry, 3(1): 13 – 38.

Basden, K. & Wright, F. W. (1997). Social research: An introduction. (Fifth edition), Bombay: Bridge.

Bassett, L. & Mellman, J. (2008). Media coverage of 9/11: Newspaper content analysis. ”Retrieved from http://angels-ls.livejournal.com/2302.html

Biernatzki, W. E. (2002). Terrorism and mass media. Communication research trends, (21)1:1 39.

Boko Haram. (2017). Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/ wiki/Boko Haram

Chukwu, M. H. (2011). Nigerian newspapers’ coverage on the October 1, 2010 golden jubilee day blasts in Abuja” [Masters Thesis], Department of Mass Communication, University of Lagos.

COT Institute for Safety, Security and Crisis Management, Netherlands Organisations for Applied Scientific Research TNO, Fundacion par alas Relaciones Internacionales y al Dialogo Exterior… (2008). Terrorism and the media. Retrieved from http://www.transnationalterrorism.eu/tekst/publications/WP4%20Del%206.pdf

Duru, H. C. (2006). Nigerian newspapers’ coverage of agitations in the Niger Delta: A case study of the fourth republic (1999 – 2003). [First Degree Thesis], Department of Mass Communication, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka.

Hart, M. C. (2010) Nigerian newspapers coverage of the December 25, 2009 attempted bombing by Farouk AbdulMuttalab. [First Degree Thesis], Department of Mass Communication, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka.

Idowu, L. (2014). Chibok and failure of reporting. Vanguard news online version. Retrieved on July, 2 2014 from www.vanguardngr.com

Iwuchukwu, P. U. (2001). Nigerian press and religious crisis. Nsukka: University of Nigeria.

Jenkins, B. M. (1981). The psychological implications of media-covered terrorism.

California: The Rand Corporation.

Lake, D.A. & Rothchild, D. (1996). Containing Fear: the origins and management of ethnic conflict. International Security, 21(2), 41-75.

Muazu, D. O. (2010) Analysis of coverage of the July 25 to 29 Boko Haram crisis in the

north-east region of the Nigeria.” Retrieved from http://www. Unilorin.edu. ng.research_papers/Boko-Haram_coverage

O’Shaughnessy, M. & Stadler, J. (2008) Media and Society, 4th ed. Victoria: Oxford.

Okoye, J. S. (2005). Nigerian press coverage of world disasters: The case of September

, 2001 terrorist attack in the United States of America (July 1st – December 31st 2001). [First Degree Thesis], Department of Mass Communication, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka.

Oladimeji, D.A.& Olusegun, A.C. (2012). Boko Haram insurgency in Nigeria: The challenges

and lessons. Singaporean journal of business economics, and management studies, vol.1(4)

Olori, G. O. & Omonode, E. (2010). Coverage of insurgencies of the movement for the emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) in Nigerian newspapers from January to July 2009. Retrieved from http://www. Unilorin.edu.ng.research_papers/MEND_coverage

McCombs, M. & Shaw, D. (1972) ‘The Agenda Setting Function of Mass Media’. Public Opinion Quarterly, 36 (2). 176–187.

McQuails, D. (2010). McQuails Mass Communication Theory (6th edition,). Thausand Oaks, New Delhi: Sage Publications.

Nchi, S.I (2013). Religion and politics in Nigeria: the constitutional issues. Jos: green-world publishing co. Ltd.

Ngwu, C C., Ekwe, O C and Chiaha, C. (2015) Nigerian Newspapers Framing Of The Chibok School Girls Abduction (A Study Of The Guardian, Daily Sun, The Trust And Leadership Newspapers). Global Journal of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences. Vol.3, No.8, pp.78-93, Published by European Centre for Research Training and Development UK (www.eajournals.org)

Omeni, I. V. (2011). “Nigerian newspapers’ coverage of the October 1, 2010 golden

jubilee day bomb blasts in Abuja: A study of Vanguard and The Sun. [First Degree Thesis], Department of Mass Communication, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka.

Onosu, J. E. (2010). A content analysis of The Punch and Vanguard newspapers’

reportage of the Niger Delta. [First Degree Thesis], Department of Mass Communication, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka.

Rohner, D.& Frey, S. B. (2007). Blood and ink: The common- interest- game between terrorists and the media. Public choice, vol.133 (129-145).

Shah, D. V., Watts, M. D., Domke, D., & Fan, D. P. (2002). News framing and cueing of issue

regimes: Explaining Clinton’s public approval in spite of scandal. Public Opinion Quarterly,66, 339–370.

Siebert, F. S., Peterson, T. & Schramm, W. (1956). Four theories of the press. Illinois: University of Illinois.

The Guardian. (n.d.). Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org /wiki/TheGuardian(Nigeria)From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

The Nation. Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ The_Punch

Traudt P. J (2005). An Introduction to the Study of media: Content and Audience Analysis. Bosten: Allyn & Bacon.

Daily Sun (2012, April 27). Media, crucial to ending terrorism in Nigeria – Maku. Retrieved from http://www. punchng.com/news/media-crucial-to-ending-terrorism-in-nigeria-maku/

UN Integrated Regional Information Networks (2012). Timeline of Boko Haram attacks

and related violence. Retrieved from http://www.nigerianewswire.net/timeline-of-boko-haram-attacks-and-related-violence-3/

Yoroms, G. (2007). Defining and mapping threats of terrorism in Africa. In W. Okumu & A. Botha (eds.), Understanding terrorism in Africa: In search for an African voice (pp. 3 – 14). Tshwane (Pretoria): Institute for Security Studies.

Zebulon, Suifon T. (2017). An Overview on multiculturalism, diversity and reporting of conflict in Nigeria. In Pate U & Oso, Lai (eds).Multiculturalism, Diversity and Conflict Reporting in Nigeria. Ibadan: Evans Publishers


Refbacks

  • There are currently no refbacks.


 

 

 

 

   

 

Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.