Nigeria needs strong military-media ties to fight terrorism, according to COAS Lagbaja

Nigeria needs a strong military-media cooperation to win the fight against terrorism and other criminal activity, according to Chief of Army Staff Lieutenant General Taoreed Lagbaja.

During the Nigerian Army (NA) Civil-Military Cooperation (CIMIC) quarterly media chat, Lagbaja, speaking through General Officer Commanding 2 Division, Nigerian Army, Ibadan, Major General Bamidele Alabi, said this.

The Chief of Civil-Military Affairs (Army), Major General Nosakhare Ugbo, Major General Bamidele Omozoje (Rtd), and Major General Chris Olukolade (Rtd), as well as media managers and journalists from all facets of the media, attended the event on Wednesday in Agodi, Ibadan.

Lagbaja stressed that Nigeria needs a strong military-media partnership when addressing at the event with the theme “Leveraging Media to Enhance Nigeria’s Internal Security Operations”.

He insisted that doing so would contribute to the development of a favourable perception, which would sustain public support for the Army’s counterterrorism operations as well as other operations being carried out to safeguard the nation and safeguard innocent civilians.

The Chief of Army Staff, who attended the ceremony as the Special Guest of Honour, stressed that the media is still an important ally in the Army’s non-kinetic line of operation for national security.

Providing correct and timely information to the media is a crucial component of nation-building, he continued, and the media talk was a part of civil-military cooperation efforts aimed at keeping the media informed, putting an end to rumours, and doing just that.

Lagbaja continued by saying that the Nigerian Army, under his direction, had chosen a multifaceted strategy that called for everyone’s cooperation, particularly the media, in addressing the issues facing the nation.

Nigeria needs a strong military-media cooperation to win the fight against terrorism and other criminal activity, according to Chief of Army Staff Lieutenant General Taoreed Lagbaja.

During the Nigerian Army (NA) Civil-Military Cooperation (CIMIC) quarterly media chat, Lagbaja, speaking through General Officer Commanding 2 Division, Nigerian Army, Ibadan, Major General Bamidele Alabi, said this.

The Chief of Civil-Military Affairs (Army), Major General Nosakhare Ugbo, Major General Bamidele Omozoje (Rtd), and Major General Chris Olukolade (Rtd), as well as media managers and journalists from all facets of the media, attended the event on Wednesday in Agodi, Ibadan.

Lagbaja stressed that Nigeria needs a strong military-media partnership when addressing at the event with the theme “Leveraging Media to Enhance Nigeria’s Internal Security Operations”.

He insisted that doing so would contribute to the development of a favourable perception, which would sustain public support for the Army’s counterterrorism operations as well as other operations being carried out to safeguard the nation and safeguard innocent civilians.

The Chief of Army Staff, who attended the ceremony as the Special Guest of Honour, stressed that the media is still an important ally in the Army’s non-kinetic line of operation for national security.

Providing correct and timely information to the media is a crucial component of nation-building, he continued, and the media talk was a part of civil-military cooperation efforts aimed at keeping the media informed, putting an end to rumours, and doing just that.

Lagbaja continued by saying that the Nigerian Army, under his direction, had chosen a multifaceted strategy that called for everyone’s cooperation, particularly the media, in addressing the issues facing the nation.

He also reaffirmed to the nation the unwavering loyalty of the officers and troops of the Nigerian Army to the Federal Republic of Nigeria’s Constitution, the President, who serves as Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces.

In his final remarks, Lagbaja expressed his gratitude to the officers and personnel of the Nigerian Army for their commitment to carrying out their responsibilities in the interests of the nation.

I am happy to be here with you for the Nigerian Army Media Chat for the Third Quarter of 2023 in this historic city of Ibadan, the man stated. The Media Chat is a component of our Civil-Military Cooperation efforts that aims to inform the Fourth Estate of the realm, debunk rumours, and give the media accurate and timely information as a crucial component of nation-building.

“Traditionally, the media informs the public about current events, including military activities. They provide the military a social context. On the other side, the military is focused on completing its tasks successfully, which may necessitate maintaining the operational security necessary to succeed.

“The security situation in Nigeria has radically changed, and now the Nigerian Army is stationed throughout the nation to fight terrorism, insurgency, and other criminal activity. These operations need the assistance and labour of the populace to be carried out successfully. Consequently, the nation needs a strong military-media partnership to foster a favourable perception and maintain public support for the Army’s counterterrorism activities.