...urges journalists to ensure fairness in their report
The Federal Polytechnic Ilaro, Ogun State has cleared air on the alleged missing, but found HND applicant, saying that the report in some section of the media is misleading and inaccurate.
The Polytechnic in a statement by Sola Abiala, Deputy Registrar, Public Relations and Protocol urged newsmen to always cross check their information before going to the Press.
Read the full statement below
The attention of the management of the Federal Polytechnic, Ilaro has been drawn to the trending news of an alleged missing of an applicant, Miss Ibukun Victoria ODEBODE who came to participate in the screening exercise for applicants into the HND programmes of the institution on Thursday, 7th November, 2024 and who has, reportedly, been found and taken home by her parents.
It should be noted that an applicant remains so, until he or she is offered admission, hence the tagging of the affected candidate as a student of the Polytechnic is not only erroneous, but equally misleading.
It should be emphasised, especially to our journalist colleagues, that adhering strictly to the ABOCC (ie Accuracy, Balance, Objectivity, Conciseness and Currency) principle is essential to news reportage.
It is expected that every side of a prospective news item is explored before going to press to ensure fairness in reportage.
The institution does not and will not take kindly to future defamation of character, by any news medium, either online or traditional, as a result of unverified facts regarding the Polytechnic.
Furthermore, the Polytechnic has reliably gathered that the alleged missing applicant was not missing afterall, but went-a – visiting to a friend in town, after the screening exercise, where she claimed her phone went flat, hence she couldn’t reach out to her parents regarding her whereabouts thereby creating panic and anxiety to her parents.
Let it be noted that any further enquiries, regarding Miss Odebode should be directed to the phone number of her brother on the above picture.
