– Army
Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Taofeed Lagbaja, has highlighted the usefulness of journalists in counter-insurgency efforts, saying the military cannot defeat insurgency, banditry and other threats without their full support.
He said the military and the media should be key allies in the ongoing efforts to secure the country.
The army chief spoke through a representative at the Nigerian Army civil-military cooperation media chat for third quarter 2024 in Makurdi, Benue State yesterday.
Represented by the Commander, 4 Special Forces Command Headquarters, Doma, Maj. Gen. Hilary Nzan, Lt. Gen.
Lagbaja said; “The Nigerian Army reaffirms its commitment to a strong, mutually beneficial relationship with the media, essential for securing our nation’s territorial integrity and advancing socio-economic development.
“The media plays a vital role in ensuring that the public is well-informed and educated about the government’s and its agencies’ activities, including the Nigerian Army and the responsibilities of good citizenship.
“Together, let us strengthen our civil-military cooperation and uphold democratic principles, human rights and freedom of the press.
“The Nigerian Army is dedicated to enhancing media access to our operations while maintaining operational security. This commitment underscores the importance of a transparent communication strategy and the need for the Nigerian Army and the media to embrace their respective roles and- responsibilities.
“This media chat embodies our unwavering dedication to foster clear and effective communication between the Nigerian Army and the media. Accurate and balanced reporting is crucial for building trust between the Army and the public.”
He added that the military had made significant milestones in the fight against insurgency and banditry.
The Nigerian Army has intensified operations across various regions with tailored strategies to address the unique security threats in each region. I’m pleased to report significant successes in these efforts across multiple theatres. These include the neutralisation of several terrorists and their leaders, the rescue of some abducted communities, leading to the return of internally displaced persons to their ancestral homes. Our efforts have also significantly boosted crude oil production while enhancing food security through special patrols and escort duties that enable farmers to cultivate their crops,” he said.
Chief of civil-military affairs, Maj. Gen. Nosakhare Ugbo, said the conduct of the Nigerian Army’s non-kinetic line of operation was geared towards securing the support and cooperation of the civil populace.
“As we carry out our constitutional responsibilities, the people’s support and cooperation are crucial to our operational effectiveness and successes,” he said.
A Nation’s Outrage There’s no leader in Nigerian history that Nigerians wish and pray for to succeed as President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Likewise, no leader carries the burden of ensuring the survival of the nation as he. At no time is the survival of the nation dependent on good and responsive leadership. Make no mistake about, Tinubu inherited a nation at precipe. The 8 years of Buhari tenure has left Nigeria on its knees. His reign has been a monumental catastrophe.
He has destroyed our economy and supervised the most pervasive looting of our Commonwealth the nation has ever witnessed. He had driven the nation into a debt dungeon, accumulating over N80 trillions liability. He accentuated all our fault lines as a nation through sheer incompetence, nepotism, aloofness. Corruption, insecurity, deliberate theft of crude oil and other forms of economic sabotage against the state and the Japa syndrome characterised his tenure.
So, when President Tinubu alluded to the ordious task ahead of him, and told the nation: “don’t pity me, I asked for the the job, I will live up to expectation”, they earnestly believed him. The over one year of his administration has however exposed the nation to more hardship and despair. Widespread poverty, banditry has blanketed the nation. Whereas the government defends its policies as the necessary evil that will eventually lead to prosperity, the citizens do not share the enthusiasm of the government.
There’s the growing skepticism of the intention of government for exposing Nigerians severe and debilitating hardship in the name revamping the economy. The government has however stubbornly stuck to its position in the face of overwhelming opposition by the nation. Its insistence on maintaining its policy of removal of subsidies on petroleum, power and other critical social services, without any efforts whatsoever to cushion the devastating consequences of the policy has exposed the president to rage of the nation.
It was the driving force behind the nationwide protest against the rising cost of living in the country, tagged End Bad Government protests in August this year. It’s also the reason for the Independence Day protests that took place on October 1. The fury of Nigerians as expressed during the protests all over the country was driven by the believe that the government neither listens or cares about the concerns of the citizenry. Our leaders, Nigerians believe, don’t care about us because they are engaged in the self-aggrandizing pursuit of their interests. The purpose of the state
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