Residents’ Perception of Radio Coverage of Kidnappings in Selected Towns of Akoko North-West Local Government, Ondo State, Nigeria

This study examinee residents’ perception of radio coverage of kidnappings of residents of selected towns of Akoko North-West Local Government, Ondo State, Nigeria, by bandits who are mainly herders, through the stations’ news bulletins and other programmes. Two stations operating in the state: Sunshine F.M 96.5 Alalaye, a government owned station and Adaba 88.9 FM, privately owned station were used. It adopts survey method, using questionnaire and interview guide as instruments to collect data from a sample of 255 respondents’ resident in the sleepy towns of Arigidi, Erusu, Ibaram, Ikaram, and Ajowa in the local government area. Findings revealed that respondents are, to a large extent, exposed to Sunshine F.M 9.5 Alalaye and Adaba 88.9 F. M’s news bulletins and programmes. Respondents perceive the two stations’ reportage on kidnapping as adequate but emphasise the need for a much wider network of information and government intervention in the security network of the affected areas. The study recommends that reportage of news and other programme contents that are kidnapping related should be presented in a manner to shed light on the achievement of government and its agencies towards ending the insecurity as well as sensitizing the citizens on protective and preventive measures. It also asks government to deploy a combined team of security agencies including the army, the police, the stae security network code named Amotekun and local villangte personnel