NEWSPAPER COVERAGE OF BANDITRY IN NORTH CENTRAL NIGERIA

ABSTRACT

This study was carried out to determine the extent of newspaper coverage of banditry in North Central, Nigeria. Content Analysis method was adopted to carefully collect data from newspapers stories published from May to August, 2021. A total of 71 15 editions of Vanguard and Punch newspapers were collated and analyzed. The theoretical framework used to discuss the role of the media in reducing banditry activities are Agenda setting theory and Media dependency theory. Findings show that the two newspapers under study were fair enough to their coverage on banditry across all genres. Straight news format took a major lead of the coverage. Findings also show that the newspapers dwelt so much on attacks of bandits neglecting security measures and government responses; only few of them were reported in the newspaper. However, the study recommends that, Media organisation especially newspapers should work closely with government in order to get detailed and credible information; and what they are doing to stop banditry activities in the North central. The study also recommends that, newspapers should do more in terms of investigative and interpretative journalism.