Army to organise security seminar for media executives in North East

chika ebuzor

November 10, 2016 6:43 PM

The defence spokesman also unveiled plans by the military to rehabilitate repentant Boko Haram members.

A man purporting to be Boko Haram's leader Abubakar Shekau (C) speaks in this still frame taken from social media video courtesy of SITE Intel Group. SITE INTEL GROUP/ via REUTERS TV

The Nigerian Army is to organise security seminar for media executives in the North East in an effort to promote collaboration between the military and the media in the ongoing fight against insurgency.

The Acting Director Information, Defence Headquarters, Brig. Gen. Rabe Abubakar, made this known on Thursday in Yola during a meeting with media executives.

Abubakar called for more collaboration between the media and military, particularly now that the fight was at its last lap.

He said “we appreciate the critical role of the media in this fight and seek for more collaboration, partnership and understanding.

“As we all know, security requires everybody’s support; we are in a national crisis and need to work together.”

The director, who reiterated the commitment of the military to continue to operate according to rules of engagement, said that currently, the military were operating in 16 places across the country to contain security threats.

He explained that some of the operations were jointly conducted with other security agencies.

The defence spokesman announced plans by the military to launch “Operation Safe Corridor” for the rehabilitation of repentant Boko Haram members to make them useful to themselves, the society and Nigeria as a whole.

He said “we also have ‘Operation Accord’ to check the problem of criminal herdsmen.”

The Adamawa Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Malam Ahmad Sajoh, lauded the move by the military for more partnership with the media.

He added that the Adamawa Government on its part had conducted series of security enlightenment to mobilise the people on security consciousness and the need for maximum support to the military and other security agencies.

Sajoh urged the military to continue to reach out for the support of the public on internal security challenges such as Boko Haram.

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The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) report that highlights of the meeting was the presentation of enlightenment materials by the defence spokesman for the media in Adamawa.

The Adamawa commissioner for information also presented the spokesman with similar materials produced by Adamawa Government as part of its contribution to security awareness in the state.

chika ebuzor