Nigerian Army Holds First Quarter 2024 Civil-Military Cooperation Media Chat

Nigerian Army Holds First Quarter 2024 Civil-Military Cooperation Media Chat

In an effort to reaffirm its commitment and strengthen the partnership between the Nigerian Army (NA) and the media, the NA has on 3 April 2024 held the First Quarter Civil-Military Cooperation (CIMIC) Media Chat at Ekwueme Hall, Bon Hotel Asaba, with the theme “Imperatives of Military-Media Partnership for the Attainment of National Security.

While delivering his keynote address, the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Taoreed Lagbaja stated that the Media Chat is a platform designed to provide a conducive atmosphere for the NA to engage and dialogue with media in other to exchange important information and ideas for the benefits of common prosperity. The COAS who was represented by the General Officer Commanding 6 Division NA and Land Component Commander Joint Task Force South South Operation DELTA SAFE, Major General Jamil Abdussalam said that the NA recognises the enormous impact of the media as a vital link between the military and public in providing essential information, shaping public opinions and holding institutions accountable through accurate and responsible reporting.

Lieutenant General Lagbaja noted that the urgency to address security challenges has necessitated the re-strategizing and rejigging of deployed troops to give the desired results bearing in mind the uniqueness of the various theatre of operations. “It is crucial to emphasize that the actions of non-state actors aiming to undermine the security, welfare and overall prosperity of our country would be significantly diminished and almost non-existent without the collaboration of certain unpatriotic and unscrupulous individuals within our society”, he said.

He therefore frown at the unprovoked killings of troops carrying out their constitutional assignments in Okuoma Community of Delta State, saying that the act was executed in a barbaric and cruel manner which is unacceptable and condemnable, while he urged the media to refrain from inadvertently amplifying the activities of these undesirable elements, terrorists, insurgents and other deviants groups thrive on attention and exploit propaganda to instill fear in law-abiding citizens.

The COAS reassured the nation of the unalloyed loyalty of the officers and soldiers of the NA to the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the Constitution of Nigeria.

The Special Guest of Honour (SGOH) and the Director General Voice of Nigeria, Mallam Jibrin Baba Ndace in his opening remarks highlighted on the importance of CIMIC in the complexities of national security in ensuring that accurate information is disseminated to the public to foster understanding and trust. While commending the NA for its unwavering dedications to protecting the nation and enhancing military-media relations, he urged the both parties to strengthen their collective efforts by ensuring the stability and harness the power of collaboration to harness the multifaceted challenges facing the country.

Earlier in his welcome address, the Chief of Civil-Military Affairs (CCMA), Major General Nosakhare Ugbo said that the media chat is designed to disseminate NA activities to the general public and fostering mutual understanding by engaging with the media by providing accurate and timely information in line with international best practices. He further maintained that the media being a key player in shaping public perception and understanding of security challenges need to embrace responsible journalism, grounded in accuracy and objectivity, stressing the partnership between the NA and the media enable a better understanding of security challenges among the public by providing insights into impact of military operations. He urged the media to always report truthfully and ethically, avoiding sensationalism and misinformation that will erode public confidence, while he promised that the NA on its own part would continue to prioritize and provide accessibility to accurate and adequate information to the media.

The CCMA appreciates the COAS for his unflinching support and strategic guidance as well as approving the conduct and available resources for the media chat.

Highlights of the event were goodwill messages by the Commissioner for information Delta State, General Manager NTA Asaba, General Manager Delta State Broadcasting Services Asaba, lectures by accomplished retired General, and erudite Professor, panel discussions, presentation of souvenirs and group photograph.

Present at the event were military officers, heads of various security agencies, government officials, media executives, journalists from various media organizations amongst others.