Benue Justice Commissioner Urges Journalists to Combat Misinformation

Ornguga, the Benue State Commissioner for Justice, addressed the Correspondents’ Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Benue State Council, during their courtesy visit in Makurdi. He emphasized the responsibility of journalists to verify information before publication and cautioned against being used by politicians to disseminate false reports.

Ornguga encouraged media practitioners to engage regularly with government ministries, departments, and agencies to ensure accurate information dissemination and educate the public on laws and policies. He highlighted the media's watchdog role in reporting issues such as electoral violence, thuggery, traffic violations, and waste management.

Additionally, he mentioned that the Ministry of Justice has enhanced its operations through its website, capacity-building for lawyers, and collaboration on issues like sexual and gender-based violence. Regarding garnishee orders, he explained that the Ministry is negotiating installment payments with judgment creditors to alleviate financial pressure on the government.

Ornguga expressed a desire to strengthen collaboration with the Correspondents’ Chapel, which reaffirmed its commitment to professional journalism.