Public Perception Of Media Representation Of Insecurity In Impoverished Societies: A Study Of Southeast States In Nigeria

Publication Details

Publication Date

10/10/2026

Volume / Issue

Vol 1, Issue 5 (2026)

Article No.

078

Journal

British Journal of Contemporary Research

DOI

https://doi.org/10.67693/BJCR-6UL62RCF

Received

25 Sep 2026

Views

20

Downloads

14

Abstract

Insecurity in Nigeria's South-east has become a dominant media theme, with coverage often focusing on violent attacks, “Unknown gunmen” and civil unrest. This study attempts to examine how the public in impoverished communities in the Southeast region of Nigeria perceives media representation of insecurity and how such perceptions shape attitudes and behaviour. The study is anchored on Agenda-setting and media framing theories. The study adopted a mixed-method approach for quantitative and qualitative data collection. A survey of 384 respondents was conducted across selected LGAs in Anambra, Abia, Ebonyi, Enugu and Imo States, complemented by IDI (in-depth interview) to elicit qualitative data, with media practitioners and community leaders. Data obtained were analyzed and presented in simple percentage and frequency tables in a form of Likert scale. The findings revealed that media representation of insecurity in the Southeast has not been satisfactory and is largely sensational, biased and threat-focused. The framing generates high levels of fear, panic, anxiety and distrust. That media messages about insecurity are enmeshed with propaganda and disinformation against Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and Eastern Security Network (ESN) which promotes ethnic views and mistrust in the media and increased reliance on social media for information more than the traditional news media. The study further found that the southeast residents' behaviour and attitude are affected by elevated fears, anxiety which contributes to behavioural outcomes such as economic withdrawals (Sit-at-home) syndrome, reduced participation in development programs and disruption of daily life activities. The study concludes that media representation does not only mirror insecurity but actually was enmeshed with propaganda and dis-information by ethnically profiling IPOB and ESN which evoked threats, fears, provocation, violence and inciting tendencies. The study recommends a solution-focused and development oriented reporting that will promote media convergence to advance peace and stability in the Southeast. The federal government should create social media laws to check excesses and sensationalism so that those negative factors that influence media representation will be checked which in return will place Southeast residents' perception in a right direction. And that media organisation should ensure adequate training of its reporters and correspondents on conflict, security and war reporting so that the elevated fear, anxiety and panic which are the direct impact of negative media representation will be checked.

License

This article is published under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License . Free to read, share, and adapt with attribution.