Adjudication of Complaints
· The duty of processing complaints in the Council is resident in the Complaint unit of the Research and Documentation Department headed by a Chief Research Officer.
· Upon receipt of any complaint, the unit in charge ensures that the complaint is acknowledged within 48 hours.
· The processing of the complaint is then carried out within two weeks to allow for wide consultations and reflections on the matter.
· This is then followed by a written notification to the media, corporate body or persons concerned if there is a prima facie breach of media ethics or rights.
· A brief for the adjudication of complaints is then prepared for the Council Adjudication Committee.
· The decision of the Adjudication Committee is then communicated to the parties involved.
What is to be complained about
Any member of the public (or party for that matter) is entitled to lodge a complaint against a newspaper or magazine or any other media in print, provided the complaint is one of unethical conduct. You can complain if:
· Anything unethical is published about you in any medium of information in Nigeria.
· Anything considered unethical is done in respect of you by any journalist in his capacity as a journalist.
· Anything is done against the journalist that is capable of limiting the preservation of the freedom of the press guaranteed by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
When to complain
You can complain only when you are satisfied that you have invited the attention of the medium concerned to what you deem objectionable and you are not satisfied with the way the matter was handled by the medium.
How to Complain
A written complaint stating the crux of the matter and accompanied with evidence for ease of reference should be sent to the Nigerian Press Council. The import of the complaint being in writing is that Council will only treat written complaint.
Where to complain
Complaints may be delivered by hand or by post to the Council’s corporate head office in Abuja or its liaison office, Lagos. Complaints may also be lodged through Council’s e-mail with relevant documents scanned and attached.
Head office address:
Executive Secretary
Nigerian Press Council,
No. 26, Bissau Street, Zone 6, Wuse,
P.M.B. 377, Garki, Abuja.
Tel: 07098211665, 07098211667, 07098211668
Lagos Liaison office:
Nigerian Press Council,
15, Awolowo Road, Ikoyi,
P.M.B. 3451, Surulere, Lagos.
Tel: 07098205199
E-mail address: info@presscouncil.gov.ng
Website: www.presscouncil.gov.ng