Ile-Ife crisis: Lawmaker calls for caution on media reports

A member of House of Representatives, Mallam Muhammed Zorro (Jigawa-APC), has urged the media to exercise discretion and utmost restraint in reporting crises.

He made the call on Tuesday while moving a motion on the communal disturbances at Ile-Ife, Osun.

Zorro appealed to journalists to avoid raising undue anxiety capable of aggravating crisis situations.

He recalled that the unfortunate disturbances between the Yoruba and Hausa communities in Ile Ife began on Wednesday, but that efforts were ongoing to restore normalcy.

According to him, the Osun Government, the Nigeria Police Force, traditional rulers and other stakeholders are making efforts at de-escalating tension and restoring normalcy.

“I appeal to the media, particularly the social media, socio-cultural organisations and all other commentators to exercise discretion and utmost restraint in reporting and commenting on the incident.

“This is so as to avoid raising undue anxiety capable of aggravating the situation,” he said.

After adopting the motion, the house urged the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to urgently send relief materials to the displaced victims of the disturbances, who are at various facilities across the state.

It also urged the Osun Government to compensate victims of the crisis to accelerate the return of normalcy in the area.

The lower chamber also resolved to send a five-member delegation to convey its sympathy to the Government and people of Osun as well as the leaders of the Hausa community and other stakeholders.

It urged the Federal Government to liaise with the state government to demilitarise and disarm members of the community.

‎In his ruling, Deputy Speaker of the House, Mr Yussuff Lasun, mandated the Committees on Police Affairs, Human Rights and Emergency and Disaster Preparedness to monitor the unfolding events.