Newspapers play a significant role in shaping public perception and discourse during conflict or
crisis situations, particularly through their framing and reportage of sensitive issues such as
blasphemy. This study examined the portrayal of blasphemy incidents in Northern Nigeria by
national dailies, focusing on Daily Trust and The Punch newspapers. One of the key objectives of
the study was to ascertain the various frames employed by the selected newspapers in their
coverage of blasphemy incidents in Northern Nigeria, among others. Content analysis was the
research method adopted, used to examine 54 editions of the two newspapers sampled between
January and June 2022. A composite sampling technique was employed to arrive at the 54 editions
27 from each newspaper. This technique was applied consistently across each of the six months
studied for both newspapers. Findings revealed that the selected newspapers did not provide
adequate coverage of blasphemy incidents in the northern region during the study period. The
dominant frames they employed were the condemnation frame, religious frame, and visible effects
frame. Based on these key findings, the study concluded that the selected newspapers did not do
enough to create awareness or sensitise the public to the menace of blasphemy, particularly in
Northern Nigeria. The paper recommended, among other things, that the media should consistently
sensitise the public to the dangers of religious crises in order to promote peaceful coexistence
among Nigerians.
