Some corporate organisations and security agencies have pledged their support for the forthcoming 17th All Nigeria Editors’ Conference scheduled to hold from October 21 to October 22 at the NAF Conference Centre in Abuja.

The Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) announced this yesterday in Lagos in a statement by its President, Mr. Mustapha Isah, and General Secretary, Mr. Iyobosa Uwugiaren.

The statement described the editors’ conference as the largest gathering of Nigerian editors and owners of mass media: newspapers, magazines, radio/television stations and online newspapers in Nigeria.

The statement affirmed that the conference had received the backing of the Tony Elumelu Foundation, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Globacom, Air Peace, Zenith Bank Plc, Access Bank Plc, the Department of State Security (DSS), among others.

It said: “This year’s conference will focus on the current security challenges in Nigeria, with a theme: Media In Times of Crisis: Resolving Conflict, Achieving Consensus.

“It is aimed at achieving consensus among media owners, managers and senior editors on what role the media can play in helping to resolve the seemingly intractable conflict enveloping the nation today.

“The annual conference also attracts our foreign partners: World Editors Forum (WEF), West African Editors Forum (WAEF), African Editors Forum (AEF), International Press Institute (IPI) and World Association of Newspapers (WAN).

“This year’s annual conference will attract top security officers, governors, lawmakers, academics, chief executive officers in private sector, members of the international community, leading non-governmental organisations and others,” the statement said.

It also said over 500 editors and media owners –within and outside the country – are expected at the event.