Chief of Army Staff Seeks Partnership With Media To Combat Insecurity

By Abdullahi Yusuf

The Chief of Army Staff,Lt.Gen.Taoreed Lagbaja,has urged media professionals to partner with the Nigerian Army and other security agencies to combat insecurity in the country.

Gen.Lagbaja made the call in a keynote address he delivered at the Nigerian Army Civil-Military Cooperation Media Chat held in Kano on Thursday.

“I urge you to be committed partners with the Nigerian Army and other security agencies as we collectively unite to combat insecurity in our country so as to restore peace, stability and progressive development for this generation and indeed future generations,”he said.

Represented by the General Officer Commanding 1 Division,Nigerian Army, Major General Mayirensa Lander David Saraso, the Chief of Army Staff also solicited the cooperation and understanding of the media to be committed to the ideals of responsible and professional practices by being balanced and objective in their reporting of security matters.

According to him,balanced and objective reporting requires a deliberate effort to ensuring that national interest and security are not jeopardized on the basis of press freedom and the urgency to be the first to break the news.

He therefore urged media executives and editors to be circumspect in their reportage of issues concerning national security and survival.

Gen.Lagbaja also urged all well-meaning Nigerians to keep faith with the Nigerian Army and continue to support its activities.

“As the Nigerian Army continues to conduct kinetic and non- kinetic operations geared towards complete elimination of elements and purveyors of insecurity in our beloved country, I urge all well-meaning Nigerians to keep faith with their army and continue to support our activities,” he said.

He said the Nigerian Army is fully aware of the intricacies and challenges facing the nation, and that the imperative to address security challenges had led the Army to increase tempo in various theatres of operations.

“I am pleased to state that the Nigerian Army in collaboration with sister Services and other security agencies has continued to record remarkable successes.

“You may be aware that troops of the Nigerian Army operating with other security agencies have made significant milestones in operations across all theatres within Nigeria.

“Specifically, our gallant troops in the North East have neutralized hundreds of terrorists including scores of their top commanders, thereby liberating several of their enclaves in the Sambisa forest, Tumbuktu triangle and the Mandara mountains.

“Similar feats have also been achieved in the North West, North Central, South East, South West and South South regions of the country. The culminating effects of these operations include the rescue of abducted Nigerians, such as the 350 persons rescued from Sambisa forest last month, the surrender of over 120,000 Boko Haram fighters and their family members in the North East, the desire of over 20,000 Nigerian refugees in Cameroon to return to their ancestral homes in Borno and Adamawa states, and the thwarting/rescue of thousands of kidnapping incidents/victims across the country,” the Chief of Army Staff added.