Military seeks collaboration with ministry on information management

dimeji akinloye

August 25, 2015 10:39 PM

He said that the collaboration is important as the ministry remains the government’s only institution saddled with the mandate to manage information and public relations duties.

Soldiers stationed in the three Northeast states most ravaged by attacks by Boko Haram.

The acting Director, Defence Information, Col. Rabiu Abubakar, on Tuesday, August 25, called on the Federal Ministry of Information to collaborate with the armed forces in managing information on the fight against terror.

Abubakar made the call during a courtesy visit to the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Information, Dr Folashade Yemi-Esan in Abuja.

"I’m here in person to collaborate with you on the information management of the armed forces.

"You are aware that we are in a very difficult time, being faced with the series of security challenges not only in the North-East, but the other parts of the nation.

"Issue of kidnapping in the South-East; the issue of bunkering in the South-South; and then the most terrible monster is Boko Haram, which had been ravaging this country for a very long time now.

"In the fight against insurgents or unconventional way of warfare, there are three stages; one of the stages is tactical manoeuvre, which is done by the troops on the ground.

"The second one is information management and information management occupies a very important place in the fight against insurgents."

Responding, Yemi-Esan expressed the ministry’s readiness to ensure that the collaboration between the ministry and defence headquarters succeeded.

"Your visit today, I think, marks a very good beginning of a very good working relationship between the Defence headquarters and Federal Ministry of Information.

"We have been seeking for this kind of collaboration for years and I am glad that it has finally come.

"And we in the Federal Ministry of Information will be ready to do our best to make sure that this collaboration works.

"It is important that we do this so that we can give proper information to the citizens of Nigeria.

"The military is doing a lot in the fight against insurgency, in the fight against the crimes - all the things you mentioned.

"But if we were not able to translate the work you are doing properly for the ordinary man and woman to understand, then it will just be like you are not doing anything.

"In the past, we actually wanted to put some people - television crew, radio reporters - alongside the people fighting at the war front so that we can get authentic pictures and authentic information.

"But up until today it has been impossible; that is why I said I was very happy when I saw your letter and your visit also has underlined the importance of the collaboration that must happen between the Federal Ministry of Information and your office."

dimeji akinloye