Nigeria Army Holds 3rd Quarter Civil/Military Cooperation Media Chat

By Rasheedah Makinde

Nigerian Army has adopted a multi-dimensional approach requiring the collaboration of all especially the media in confronting these challenges. 

The Chief of Army Staff, COAS, Lieutenant General Taoreed Lagbaja stated this at Nigerian Army Civil/Military Cooperation Media Chat for the third quarter of 2023 held at Tiger’s Mess, Ikolaba, Ibadan. 

He said the media chat was part of Civil-Military Cooperation activities aimed at keeping the Fourth Estate of the realm informed, dispel rumours and provide accurate and timely information to the media as an important segment of nation building.

Lieutenant General Lagbaja who was represented by General Officer Commanding, GOC 2 Division Nigerian Army Ibadan, Major General Bamidele Alabi said, “at a time like this, when the nation was inundated with a myriad of internal security challenges, a forum such as this media chat was important for a more detailed examination of issues that relate to the Nigerian Army, in order to provide context and other perspectives to the issues”.

He explained that traditionally, the media keeps society informed of events as they occur including military operations and also interpret the military to society, while the military on the other hand was concerned with the successful conduct of its missions which may require the maintenance of operational security required to win wars, hence the need for a robust relationship between the two.

The COAS noted that the media remains a key partner in its non-kinetic line of operations for the security of the country, hence the need for a healthy military-media relationship to create a positive perception that would sustain popular support to the army’s counter-terrorism operations and other operations being conducted to secure the country and protect innocent citizens.

“However, a good part of the interface between the media and the military involves the reportage of routine military activities and the conduct of military personnel in peace time”.

“Nowadays, advances in information and communication technology and the rise of the new media have opened a new vista in media practice”.

“It has blurred the line between professional media practitioners and amateurs who practice the trade without ethics or responsibility”.

“This has changed the dynamics in the media practice to keep society informed and placed an added burden to help separate genuine news from fake news”.

The Chief of Army Staff said the media chat was a round peg in a round hole as it serves as an avenue to dispel rumours, interrogate issues relating to the army and debunk fake news. 

He added that the media chat by the military was a quarterly event highlighting major occurrences involving the Nigerian Army while carrying out its constitutional responsibilities in the preceding of 3 months, a platform for examining them more deeply and in context. 

“The choice of Ibadan as a venue for this event is to enable media practitioners and other participants from the South West Geopolitical zone to actively participate in this edition of the Media Chat”. 

In his address of welcome, the Chief Civil Military Affairs, Major General Nosakhare Ugbo said the event became imperative to keep the media informed of its Civil-Military Cooperation and Civil-Military Relations activities in order to eliminate rumours and provide accurate and timely information in line with international best practices.

Major General Ugbo said he was glad to be hosting the unique gathering of highly regarded media executives for the Civil-Military Cooperation Media Chat, on behalf of the Nigerian Army constitutional responsibilities.

“These include enhanced training of personnel, sensitization and equipping to ensure that our troops remain resolute in the discharge of their duties within the ambit of the laws of armed conflicts, and in tandem with best practices”.

Major General Ugbo explained that these mechanisms were further reinforced by the Chief of Army Staff resolve to transform the Nigerian Army into a well-trained, equipped and highly motivated constitutional environment.

He said this would afford the military an opportunity for feedback to ensure that it continue to improve on its tactics, techniques and procedures.

In a lecture entitled, “Media as Team Players in Nigerian Army’s Internal Security Operations”, the guest lecturer, Major General Bamidele Omozoje (Rtd) noted that media played major roles in communicating the efforts of the military at ensuring a safe society to the members of the public through balanced reportage.

He noted that military/media relationships would enhance the ability of the military to collectively unravel the root cause of an issue before it escalates into a bigger crisis through information sharing.

The lecturer explained that social media could be a tool in providing excellent platform for public perception against the negative attitude of the people to the military.

Another lecturer at the event, Major General Chris Olukolade said media military relationships would enhance national security if well managed. 

Major General Olukolade advised that the army create a platform for defense journalists in their joint environment to train them on how best to report security story in a way that would not create panic.

Highlight of the event was an interactive session among media executives and the program was graced by representatives from other security agencies in Oyo State.

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