BY ABDULKADIR M. LAWAN, JUNE 19, 2026 | 07:49 PM
Chairperson of the Board of Trustees, Lake Chad Times, Prof. Halima Gambo, has described a 3-day workshop for student journalists in Maiduguri as a 'rare privilege,' urging participants to make full use of the opportunity.
The training, organised by Lake Chad Times, Yerwa Express News, and the Union of Campus Journalists, University of Maiduguri Chapter, kicked off on Wednesday, June 17, 2026, at the Yerwa Express News Office, Maiduguri, Borno State.
Twenty student journalists, most of whom are women, were selected for the intensive capacity-building programme covering ethical journalism, environmental journalism, community journalism, conflict reporting, photojournalism among others.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Prof. Gambo said initiatives of such nature are rare and participants should treat the selection as a privilege.
'Such initiatives are rare so when you are opportune to be selected, utilise it and make good use of it,' she told the trainees.
She specifically charged the women participants to deploy the skills acquired to report issues affecting women and children, in order to increase reportage on those groups.
'Use what you have learned to report issues that affect women and children and increase the rate of reportage on the group,' Prof. Gambo said.
The Lake Chad Times BoT Chairperson commended the organisers for conceptualising the training and expressed hope they would sustain similar programmes in the near future.
She wished the participants fruitful engagements throughout the 3 days and called on them to participate actively in all sessions.
The workshop is the first phase of a 3-month fellowship programme in partnership with Lake Chad Times and Yerwa Express News, designed to give student journalists practical newsroom experience.