By Chuks Oyema-Aziken
To strengthen war against insurgency and other crimes, the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Lucky Irabor has solicited deeper collaboration between journalists covering defence beats and Nigerian military.
The CDS stated this on Tuesday in Abuja, while declaring open a one-day workshop for Defence Correspondents organised by Defence Headquarters (DHQ) in partnership with The Media Today (TMT) International.
Gen Irabor urged the Correspondents to align themselves with media campaign strategies of the Armed Forces of Nigeria (AFN) tailored at winning hearts and minds of the populace in the operational theatres.
The workshop themed, “The Role of Defence Correspondents in Enhancing National Security: Imperatives of Conflict Sensitive Communication,” is to broaden the knowledge of Defence Correspondents in understanding nitty-gritty of conflict sensitive communication towards conflict resolutions.
Gen Irabor who was represented by the Chief of Defence Administration, Rear Admiral Abdul Adamu also enjoined journalists to use their media platforms and reportage to galvanize citizens support in the promotion of national unity and peaceful coexistence.
The Defence Chief described conflict sensitive information management as a critical element in national development.
He noted that the manner in which conflict sensitive information is being processed and disseminated to the public could positively or negatively affect national security.
He further explained that the capacity building training will facilitate needed discourse towards identifying viable media approach and collaboration which would support kinetic efforts of the AFN in combating present and emerging threats.
He assured the media that DHQ would continue to partner with them in order to build a peaceful, harmonious and prosperous nation.
The Deputy Director Defence Information (DDDI), Air Commodore Wap Maigida in his remark, said the complex nature of asymmetric warfare fought by the Nigerian military involves interplay of factors and actors which the media is inclusive.
The DDDI urged the media to carry out coherent activities with the military in order to achieve more feats in the theatres of operation. According to Air Cdre Maigida, unpatriotic and negative reportage by the media over the years, have continue to distort military operations against insurgency, terrorism and more recently banditry.
Meanwhile, Chief Executive Officer (CEO), TMT International, Barr Charles Odenigbo on his part, urged media organizations and institutions to dwell more on investigative reporting to expose activities of terrorists.
The CEO also enjoined journalists to continue to perform their duties in line with code of ethics guiding the profession, including fairness, objectivity and balance reportage.
According to Odenigbo, the code of ethics for Nigerian journalists emplaced that journalism should entails a high degree of public trust which must be earn by observing highest professional and ethical standard. The lead paper titled, “The Role of Defence Correspondents in Enhancing National Security: Imperative of Conflict Sensitive Communication” was delivered by Prof Abiodun Adeniyi, Head of Mass Communication Department, Baze University, Abuja. Commander AB Ayi, delivered the second paper on the Overview Military Terminologies.
While the Defence Editor, Blueprint Newspaper, Mr Jibrin Ndace and Dr Theophilus Abbah, former Editor Sunday Trust, delivered the third and fourth papers on the Challenges of a Defence Correspondent and The Journalist Code of Ethics, Conflict of Interest and National Security.
The moderators during the interactive sessions were: former Director Defence Information (DDI) Major General Chris Olukolade (rtd) and Mr Dayo Ayetan.
The panelists include: DDI Maj Gen Benjamin Olufemi Sawyerr, Dr Okey Ikechukwu, Mr Gbenga Aruleba, Mr Yushau Shuaib and Mr Ben Okezie.
