Posted by Lieutenant General Taoreed Lagbaja, Chief of Army Staff, has stated that Nigeria needs a strong cooperation between the military and the media in order to defeat terrorism and other criminal activities.
During the Nigerian Army’s (NA) quarterly CIMIC media chat, Lagbaja made these comments through the General Officer Commanding 2 Division, Nigerian Army, Ibadan, Major General Bamidele Alabi.
Chief of Civil-Military Affairs (Army) Major General Nosakhare Ugbo, Major Generals Bamidele Omozoje (Rtd) and Chris Olukolade (Rtd), and media managers and journalists from various outlets attended the ceremony on Wednesday in Agodi Ibadan.
While addressing at an event titled “Leveraging Media to Enhance Nigeria’s Internal Security Operations,” Lagbaja stressed the importance of a strong partnership between the military and the media in Nigeria.
He insisted that doing so would foster a favorable impression that would encourage people to continue supporting the Army’s efforts to combat terrorism and defend innocent populations.
The Chief of Army Staff, who was the evening’s Special Guest of Honor, reaffirmed the media’s indispensable role as a collaborator in the Army’s non-kinetic approach to national security.
In addition, he mentioned that the media chat was a component of the civil-military cooperation efforts meant to keep the media in the know, put an end to rumors, and provide the media with correct and timely information as an integral part of nation-building.
According to Lagbaja, the Nigerian Army under his command has taken a multifaceted approach to addressing the country’s problems, one that necessitates the participation of all stakeholders, including the media.
He also reassured Nigeria that the army’s commanders and troops are completely loyal to the country’s president, who is also the military’s commander in chief, as well as to the country’s constitution.
In his final remarks, Lagbaja expressed his gratitude to the commanders and troops of the Nigerian Army for their selfless devotion to their country.
In his opening remarks, he expressed his delight at holding the Nigerian Army Media Chat for Q3 2023 in the historic city of Ibadan. As an integral aspect of nation-building, our Media Chat is part of our efforts to foster civil-military cooperation in order to keep the Fourth Estate informed, debunk rumors, and supply the media with correct and up-to-date information.
The media has always been tasked with keeping the public abreast of breaking news, especially military actions. To civilians, they are the voice of the military. The military, on the other hand, is focused on the objective at hand, which may involve safeguarding the organization’s operations to ensure victory.
Because of the dramatic change in the country’s security situation, the Nigerian Army is now actively engaged in fighting terrorists, rebels, and other criminals across the whole country. These operations can only be carried out successfully with public backing and participation. Therefore, the government needs a strong partnership between the military and the media to promote a positive image that will keep the public behind the Army’s anti-terror efforts.