Lagos: The International Organisation for Migration (IOM) has urged journalists to protect returned migrants from harm when conducting interviews and reporting migration-related stories. The call was made by Mr. Elijah Elaigwu, the Senior Communication Assistant at IOM, during a lecture focusing on media ethics, data protection principles, and reporting techniques as part of a three-day training programme for journalists in Lagos.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, Elaigwu emphasized the importance of minimizing foreseeable risks to the safety, dignity, privacy, and mental well-being of returnees and other vulnerable migrants. He highlighted that reporting should avoid exposing individuals to stigmatisation, discrimination, or renewed trauma. Consent from migrants must be voluntary, informed, and fully understood prior to interviews. Journalists should clearly communicate how the obtained information will be used and where it will be published.
Elaigwu also noted that minors under 18 cannot legally provide consent independently and require approval from parents or guardians. He warned journalists against publishing seemingly insignificant details that could reveal a person’s identity, especially for returnees, trafficking survivors, and other vulnerable migrants. The expert advised journalists to collect only necessary information for their reports and protect interview recordings, notes, and images containing sensitive personal information. He pointed out that photographs could expose identities through faces, documents, or identifiable locations, and encouraged the use of alternative angles or symbolic images when needed.
Furthermore, Elaigwu cautioned against using terms such as ‘illegal migrants,’ suggesting ‘irregular migrants’ instead. He stressed the importance of transparency about how stories will be used and the need to promptly correct inaccuracies, as transparency helps build trust between journalists, sources, and audiences. Ethical reporting requires balancing public interest with human dignity, acknowledging that every story involves real people whose welfare should not be compromised. Elaigwu stated, “Every story is a human being first. If the reporting is strong but the source is harmed, then journalism has failed.” This principle should guide journalists covering returnees, trafficking survivors, migrants, and other vulnerable populations.