The Publisher of Vanguard Newspaper, Mr. Sam Amuka, has revealed that he and some other people visited the Department of State Services (DSS) to request that they release the convener of revolutionNow, Omoyele Sowore who has been under their custody.
Mr. Amuka disclosed this in Abuja during the presentation of The Big Interviews, a book by the former Managing Director of Sun, Mr. Eric Osagie.
Sam Amuka, said the visit was not to persaude him to stop attacking the government but to make the DSS understand the implication of their actions.
The Vanguard publisher who went to the DSS with Mr. Ismaila Funtua, among others said what was published online was not the actual purpose of the visit to DSS.
He said, “Some of you might have heard on this Sowore’s matter, I was among the persons that went to DSS.
“What was published online that you saw and heard is the opposite of what actually happened. Indeed we went to the DSS but it was to tell the DSS to release Sowore because we believed that keeping him was not good for the government.
“It was not to negotiate with Sowore to come to terms with the government. ”
He described the current situation in the country as a new era of life, where anything goes.
Amuka, however, stressed that the death sentence is not the answer to fake news as enough provision has been provided by the constitution.
“I do not think that death sentence is the answer to fake news. I do not think that we need legislations against fake news and fake news peddlers.
“Our constitution has stated what you should do. You can sue. The person standing talking with you now, I am current victim of fake news. ”
He also added, “We are in a new era not only of journalism but of life. For instance, many of you may not have known what Nigeria was when Nigeria got independence. We are now in the digital age and this book is been launch, therefore, has some significance.
In the digital age, anything goes. Anybody who can tweet or say anything in the media is a journalist. So a book like this that gives you a touch of professionalism, it, therefore, behoof on all of us in the media that we have a lot of work to do with the people who call themselves professional journalists.
“We all suffer from fake news and issues raised around them. So when you get a book like this which teaches people in the profession on how to behave, what to do, I think those who are practising the profession need to pay attention.
“For instance, in this era of fake news, many issues arise and we need to be careful. One of the issues we are facing right now in the country is fake news and what it implies and what to do about it.
“And I ask what is fake news? Who deep fines fake news? If somebody criticizes you maliciously, and you are in power and you have some authority, you can now say that is fake news and you can go everywhere.
This is where the some of things we practice as journalists become important.
“In this day and age, you must reconcile. Yesterday is gone and the way we live we must reconcile with this and must think about the next things to do to get positive results in the interest of the country.
“I, therefore, recommend a book like this in the interest of the country. The country needs the media. “
