Framing Techniques in Selected Online Newspapers Reports on Banditry and Kidnapping Activities in Nigeria

Abstract

This study examines the framing techniques used by online newspapers in reporting banditry and kidnapping activities in Nigeria. The research adopts Van Dijk’s Socio-Cognitive Critical Discourse Analysis and Framing Theory as the theoretical framework. The work investigates how language, structure and representation shape public perception, reinforce ideologies and potentially influence national discourse. The research is anchored on a CDA research design which explores the discursive framing of banditry and kidnapping. Data were purposively sampled from reports of The Daily Trust and Leadership online newspapers on kidnapping and banditry between 2021 and 2025. Both newspapers are from the Northern part of Nigeria. The findings reveal four recurrent frames: the victim-hero frame, the state-legitimising frame, the moral and spiritual frame, and the collective responsibility frame. These frames collectively depict insecurity as a moral, political and social crisis, legitimising government authority while subtly shifting accountability to citizens. Linguistic strategies such as emotive diction, quantification and moral evaluation are found to reinforce state narratives and normalise insecurity as a recurring national condition. The study concludes that media framing not only mirrors but also sustains ideological structures that influence public perception and policy direction on security. It recommends greater editorial responsibility, critical media literacy and context-sensitive reporting so as to promote balanced and ethical coverage of insecurity in Nigeria