Mass Media and National Security on Role of Citizen Journalism in National Security

This study focuses on the role of the media in national security in Nigeria. The Nigerian mass media since independence has faced the greatest challenge of how to make itself relevant to the Nigerian society. First, the political class in its greed has employed the mass media as instrument for selfish and sectional loyalties. Consequently, media reports have greatly heightened tension and created suspicion among the citizens. Second, the mass media are increasingly internationalized in content and resulting to culture imperialism. Nigerian’s thirst for foreign consumables threatens the nation’s culture integrity. Third, Nigerian Journalist suffered insecurity of arbitrary arrest and detention in the days of military rule. Several decrees promulgated ousted press freedom. Journalist fought tenaciously against such constitutional edicts by its publications. Fourth, the proliferation of media organizations has brought about change in media ownership structure and tended towards the dangerous trend of promoting threat to national security. These issues would be discussed in this study. The study appraises and assesses the media since independence, through the ‘dark days’ of military rule to the new democracy in 1999.