The 2024 first quarter Nigerian Army Civil-Military Cooperation Media Chat took place on Wednesday in Asaba with an appeal to the media to partner the military to significantly combat the security challenges facing the nation.
The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt Gen Taoreed Lagbaja, who made the call in his address on the occasion, noted that some sections of the media sometimes chose to glorify terrorist and proscribed groups whose activities were aimed at destabilizing the country and undermining the security architectures.
The Army Chief, who was represented by the General Officer Commanding (GOC) 6 Division/Land Component Command, Joint Task Force, South South Operation, Delta Safe, Maj Gen Jamal Abdulsalam, urged the media to stop amplifying the unwholesome activities of non-state actors, but instead condemn their criminality and unpatriotic tendencies.
Lt Gen Lagbaja maintained that the determination of non-state actors to compromise the overall prosperity of Nigeria would be significantly reduced if only the unpatriotic and unscrupulous individuals sponsoring them ceased to do so.
While underscoring the importance of media-military collaboration to safeguarding national security, Lt Gen Lagbaja said the media chat was aimed at facilitating the exchange of valuable information and ideas between the military and media practitioners.
He sued for collective efforts towards effectively combating insecurity and restoring peace to the land, insisting that terrorists, insurgents and members of other deviant groups should not be given any attention whatsoever, nor allowed to exploit propaganda and instill fear in law-abiding citizens.
“There is the need to build a society where the military and the media are united in their commitment to safeguarding our nation and upholding the values that define us as Nigerians”, he said, while condemning the killing of soldiers in the Okuama Community of Delta State on March 14, 2024.
Earlier, the Chief of Civil-Military Affairs, Maj Gen Nosa Ugbo, said the choice of Asaba for the event was inspired by the need to solicit the support of Journalists from the South South geopolitical zone for the Army through constructive and objective reportage, adding that a robust synergy between the Army and the media was necessary to surmount security challenges and safeguard the nation .
In his goodwill message, Delta State Commissioner for Information, Dr Ifeanyi Osuoza debunked the misconception that the media was hostile, and commended the military for seeking collaboration with the media in the interest of national security.
Dr Osuoza said partnering the media would afford the military the opportunity to communicate with the people and get them to understand the operations of the security outfit, clarify grey areas and carry them along.
Meanwhile, the Special Guest of Honour (SGOH) and Director General of the Voice of Nigeria (VON), Mallam Jibrin Ndace, has expressed optimism that a robust military-media partnership would enhance the realization of the national security objectives.
Others who spoke at the ceremony included the Director General of the Nigeria Television Authority (NTA), Salihu Dembos, represented by the General Manager of the Asaba station of the media organisation, Mr Patrick Iro, and the General Manager of the Delta Broadcasting Service, DBS, Asaba, Mrs Christine Emetulu.
Highlights of the event were lectures on Enhancing National Security Through Military-Media Engagements and Promoting Military-Media Trust For Enhanced Public Support Towards Addressing Nigeria’s Security Challenges delivered by Maj Gen Olusegun Adeleke (rtd) and Prof Godwin Oboh.
