The Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) has called on political officeholders in the country to prioritize national security in order to avert the collapse of the Nigerian State.

Chairman of the Rivers State chapter of NIPR, Paulinus Nsirim made this call during the ‘PR Moment’ of the body at its monthly meeting on Thursday, April 8, 2022 in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital.

A statement by the Chairman of Publicity Committee of the State chapter, Parry Benson stated that Nsirim, who pointed out that the security situation in the country has deepened and become so worrisome that most Nigerians now live in perpetual fear daily, appealed to the nation’s political leaders to give attention to the security concerns of the country.

Nsirim, who is also the State Commissioner for Information and Communications, urged members of the body to engage themselves in regular media advocacy in order to increase the security awareness among Nigerians.

He insisted that it is the responsibility of Public Relations practitioners to always set the agenda and put the country on the right path to follow.

Earlier, lead discussant of the PR Moment, Dr. Rita Inoma-Abbey, a legal practitioner, security consultant and retired Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP), described the security situation in the country as not only disturbing but a threat to the unity of the nation as no part of the country is safe.

The Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) was established in 1963 and later attained the status of a Chartered Institute in June 1990 through Decree No. 16 (now an Act of the National Assembly).

The referenced extant law confers on the Institute the power and responsibility to register members, set parameters of knowledge to acquire to qualify to practice, regulate the practice and development of the PR Profession as well monitor professional conduct through an established Code of Ethics, amongst others.