Nigerian Army Hosts Media Chat To Strengthen Collaboration Against Insecurity.
By Helen Udo,Outlook media ABUJA.
The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Taoreed Abiodun Lagbaja, has urged the media to play a vital role in informing the public about government activities, including those of the Nigerian Army (NA), while also promoting the responsibilities of patriotic citizenship. Speaking through Major General Hilary Nzan, Commander of the 4 Special Forces Command, Gen Lagbaja made this appeal during the Nigerian Army Civil-Military Cooperation Media Chat for the third quarter of 2024, held in Makurdi on September 26, 2024.
He emphasized the need for active participation from all patriotic citizens and stakeholders, especially those in information management, to contribute to a secure nation. He underscored that public education and awareness are crucial for citizens to understand their roles in a comprehensive approach to shared challenges.
The COAS further highlighted the media as one of the strongest allies in the NA’s mission to enhance national security. He noted that the theme of the Media Chat, “The Media and the Military: Allies in Pursuit of National Security,” was deliberately chosen to underscore the significant roles both the media and the NA play in safeguarding national security.
In his remarks, Special Guest of Honour (SGoH)Chief Nduka Obiagbena, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Arise Television and THISDAY Newspaper, acknowledged that the Media Chat exemplifies the NA’s non-kinetic efforts to combat insecurity through improved collaboration with the media. He asserted that both the NA and the media are essential pillars in maintaining national security. The SGoH commended the NA’s leadership for assembling distinguished professionals as resource persons and participants, encouraging attendees to actively engage in the interactive sessions and apply the knowledge acquired.
Earlier, Major General Nosakhare Ugbo, Chief of Civil Military Affairs (CCMA), emphasized the importance of media collaboration for enhancing civil-military cooperation in national security. He stated that the NA is committed not only to fulfilling its constitutional duties but also to fostering understanding and unity among the public through intervention projects. The CCMA noted that Media Chats provide valuable opportunities for the NA to strengthen its engagement with the media, boost public awareness, and cultivate a culture of trust and cooperation, all essential for the nation’s security and prosperity.
The event featured two lectures titled “Enhancing Military-Media Relations for National Security and Development” and “Harnessing the Power of the Media for Enhanced National Security and Development,” delivered by Maj Gen JA Ataguba (rtd) and Dr Mrs Shimenenge Mary Yvonne, a senior lecturer at Benue State University, Makurdi.
Attendees included various dignitaries, such as the Commandant of the Nigerian Army School of Military Engineering, Maj Gen AG Audu, Commander of the 401 SF Brigade Brig Gen A Rabiu, Commander of Joint Taskforce Operation WHIRL STROKE Brig Gen LG Lepdung, as well as heads of security agencies and state government officials.