MASS MEDIA AND THE MENACE OF INSECURITY IN NIGERIA: LESSONS FROM THE WESTERN NIGERIA SECURITY NETWORK (AMOTEKUN)

Abstract

This study examined mass media and the menace of insecurity in Nigeria with a special focus on the lessons from the Western Nigeria Security Network (Amotekun), established by six  Southwestern governors- Ogun, Osun, Ondo, Lagos, Ekiti and Oyo- states to combat the issues of insecurity in the region. This study adopted focus group discussion and structured interview methods. Focus group discussion and interview guides were employed for data collection. Participants and interviewees were selected using simple random sampling technique from the three selected States- Ogun, Osun and Oyo- respectively. It was anchored on the Agenda-setting theory. Data collected were transcribed and thematically analysed qualitatively in accordance with the set research questions. It found out that the security outfit has done creditably well since its establishment. It revealed that the institutionalization of the para-military outfit would help its mandate legitimacy. It established that the mass media are effective in their dissemination of crime information. Finally, it found out that non-recognition problem from both the government and northern extraction is retarding the legitimacy of the outfit. This study concluded that the surveillance and correlational functions of the mass media against the scourge of insecurity is encouraging while the security outfit should be adequately legalised by the region governments. It recommended that southwest governors should set up a legal framework to legalise the security outfit. There should be a strong collaboration between the Nigeria Police Force and Amotekun Security Network. Mass media should be more proactive in their social responsibility functions especially in terms of crime information dissemination. Finally, sufficient fund should be allocated for the running of the security outfit.