GOC, Journalists To Unify Nigeria By Building Trust and Promoting Peace

From Tongnaan Bawa, Jos

The General Officer Commanding (GOC) 3rd Division of the Nigerian Army and Commander of Operation Safe Haven (OPSH), Maj-Gen Abdulsalam.E. Abubakar has charged
Journalists to build trust and promote unity as one cardinal point of the ethics of the professional discipline, because security, accountability are dependable role of the Media in a democratic society.

The GOC disclosed this at a one-day training at the weekend in Jos,organised by the Correspondent Chapel of the NUJ Plateau State Council in collaboration with the 3 Division of the Nigerian Army Jos Plateau State, for Media Professionals.

Represented by Brig-Gen M.O. Agbi, the GOC noted that, “The ethics and sensibility and national security play an important aspect that journalists must be guided against during their reportage, instead of publishing every information available to the organization.

“The ethics guidelines are fundamental to accountability and balance reporting during conflict and crises, including accuracy with respect on confidentiality, dignity to human lives in the affected families under attacks,” he said.

Maj-Gen Abubakar further urged them to use the media to project, promote transparency, accountability and to hold the society accountable for their actions and build confidence amongst citizens.

According to him, the 3 Division of the Nigerian Army, Maxwell Khobe Cantonment, has been involved in several conflicts, including the Nigerian Civil War, the Chadian–Nigerian War, the Zaki Biam massacre, and the Boko Haram insurgent.

He stressed the need for journalists to remember to always be objective and balancing their reports, and get facts, details before going to press.

He further explained that, media can be used for dousing tension and improve national cohesion, instead of aggravating the situation in their reportage.

The GOC/Commander OPSH called for working together – “to encourage and promote Nigeria security by appealing to participants to work in collaboration with military to build trust and confidentiality in our duty post.”

Speaking earlier, Chairman Correspondent Chapel, Polycard Auta, said the training was organised for media professionals to explore the critical balance between journalistic integrity and “military operational security.”

According to him, “The choice of the theme of the training, ‘Ethics and Security Considerations in the Media Coverage of Military Operations,’ is not just timely, but it gives us an opportunity to garner more professional insights.

“As journalists, our role is vital in informing the public, while navigating the complex ethical landscapes,” he stressed.

He noted that, “The discussion will be on best practices for reporting in conflict zones, the importance of understanding military protocols, and the ethical implications of our coverage.

“Together, we aim to foster a responsible media environment that respects both the need for transparency and the necessity of security.

“The exercise will enable journalists to understand the nexus between free press and national security, how to build public trust, the structure of the military, and its legal frameworks.

“This will further expose us to some ethical and security considerations, as well as the protection of sources, while reporting military operations,” The Chairman stated.

He appreciated and thanked the GOC, 3 Division and Commander OPSH, Maj-Gen. A.E. Abubakar, for supporting and accepting to deliver a keynote address in the training, and also thanked the resource persons, erudite scholars, media experts, and senior military officers, for accepting to share their avalanche of knowledge with the media group.

“I also thank heads of government MDAs and friends of the media on the Plateau, for accepting to be part of this historic event. I urge the members to engage in thoughtful discussions that will enhance our skills towards impactful reporting.”

In another remarks, the Plateau State Police Commissioner, CP Emmanuel Adesina (represented by Destu Ringle), urged journalists to focus on positive reporting to counter negative propaganda and foster peace, and commended the organizers for their role in peace building.

On her part, Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Plateau State Council, Ayuku Pwaspo, praised the collaboration and relationship between the 3 Division, saying, they visited to show appreciation to the GOC, Maj-Gen Abubakar, recently for his constant support.

She also commended Correspondents’ chapel of the NUJ for the choice of the program saying, “It will make journalists better at reporting conflict issues.”

Our correspondent reports that there were two papers presentation by Maj Aliyu Danja, who is the Acting Director, public Relations, 3 Div. On Understanding Military Structures, Operations, A crucial Guide to Effective Media Coverage. And Reporting Military Operations:Ethics, Security Considerations, Cultivation and Protection of News sources by Mr. Ephraim Sheyin, the immediate past Editor-in- chief, News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) respective.

There were also goodwill messages by Plateau Peace building Agency