Two senior correspondents with Nigeria’s most widely read newspapers, The PUNCH, were among 12 Nigerian journalists who received awards for outstanding reporting on migration issues at the 2022 International Organisation for Migration Reporting Competition.
The competition was organised by the United Nations’ agency in collaboration with the European Union for journalists in West and Central African countries.
At the ceremony held in Abuja, a senior correspondent with the Weekend Titles of PUNCH Newspapers, Alexander Okere, received an award in the online category with his story titled, ‘Inside Edo, Ogun communities where battered returnees save youths from deadly migration’. The story showed how returnees and human trafficking victims in Nigeria leverage their sad experiences to prevent their compatriots from losing their lives to irregular migration.
Another senior correspondent with PUNCH Investigations, Alfred Olufemi, was awarded for his entry titled, ‘How fleeing Sokoto residents work in Nigeria, sleep in Niger Republic to escape bandits’ bullets’.
In the cross-border investigation, Olufemi detailed how growing banditry had forced several Nigerians to become part-time residents in their homeland during the day and refugees at night in a foreign land.
Fifty-six submissions on irregular migration, return, reintegration, and migrant protection were received from Nigerian journalists working with local and foreign media organisations.
Speaking at the event, the Chief of Mission, IOM-UN Migration, Prestage Murima, explained that the competition was launched to promote quality reporting on migration subjects, including environmental migration, migrant reintegration, and alternatives to irregular migration in Nigeria.
Murima, who said journalists played a key role in telling critical stories about the lives of people living within and outside Nigeria, noted that the entries submitted for the competition were assessed by a jury drawn from the academia, media, the EU, and the government, adding.
“The media has an influential role in shaping public opinion about migration and changing the narrative about the lives of Nigerians by reporting positive stories that there is still hope for the country,” she added.
Agidigbo FM’s Zainab Sanni and a journalist with TV 360, Mojisola Matanmi, won the radio and television categories respectively.
The print category was won by the Guardian’s Gbenga Salau while the BBC’s Yusuf Akinpelu emerged as the winner of the online category.
The organisers said cash prizes of up to $6,000 would be given to the winners and runners-up.