Buratai: Ending Insurgency, Our Top Priority *Warns against leakage of battle plans

The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt.General Yusuf Buratai, on Thursday restated the commitment of the Nigerian military to bring to an end terrorism and insurgency in the North-east, saying doing so was a top priority.

Buratai warned against the leakage of operational plans of the military  in the media.

Speaking at the event organised by the Directorate of Army Public Relations in collaboration with the Nigerian Guild of Editors, Nigerian Union of Journalists, Nigerian Institute of Public Relations, Guild of Corporate Online Publishers and Guild of Professional Bloggers of Nigeria in Abuja, Buratai said ending terrorist intransigience in the North-east was top most  priority.

"Let me use this opportunity to stress that the commitment of the Nigerian Army to maintain cordial and mutual relationship to enable it end terrorism and insurgency and enhance national security is our top most priority.  "Therefore, your effective reportage of the campaign against insurgency, restoration of peace in the Northeast and protection of lives and properties in the country will go a long way to counter the terrorist narrative," he said. 

The army chief said  the leakage of operational plans of  the military  in the media  was inimical to national security.

"It is pertinent to note that not all information regarding military operations will be made available to you, due to some obvious reasons.
"This is because we are also ‘gatekeepers’ in keeping secret of vital military operations for national security.  

" However, when such operations are conducted, relevant details will be made available to the media for public consumption.
"It is important to note that the leakage of vital information on military operation like the on-going fight against the Boko Haram terrorists is inimical to national security as  this  will  give our position to the terrorists and give them upper hand in their psychological war against the troops", he said.

Buratai noted that there was the need to check the spate of terrorists’ propaganda which was inimical to the successful implementation of the counter insurgency campaign, adding that “the effort of the military to ensure peace and security in our country is a constitutional responsibility which requires support from all sectors to make Nigeria safe from all forms of criminalities.”

The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, who was the guest of honour also cautioned the media not to allow hate merchants to use their platforms to propagate fake news and hate speech.

“There are serious lessons to be learnt from what happened in Rwanda, during the genocide. Ask yourself if any journalist was able to practice journalism while that war lasted. Yet, the genocide was caused by inability of the Rwandan media to ensure their platforms were not used by hate merchants in propagating fake news and hate speech."
Mohammed, who was represented
by the Permanent Secretary, in the Ministry of Information, Grace Isu Gekpe,
said: "Unfortunately, even in the mainstream media today, some of our papers and broadcast houses allow that kind of thing."