The Chief of Defence Staff, Lucky Irabor, has the Nigeria needs more than military power to win the war against insurgency and other forms of insecurity, especially in the hearts of the people.
Irabor stated this yesterday at a three day workshop and conference with the theme: ‘Enhancing Journalist-Military Cooperation in Checking Insecurity organised by Zakclair Investment Limited in collaboration with Defence Headquarters (DHQ) in Abuja.
According to him, the workshop became necessary in view of the myriad of contemporary security challenges bedeviling the country and the need for all hands to be on deck.
The CDS, who appealed to journalists to prioritise national interest in conflict reportage, added that putting Nigeria first would contribute greatly towards overcoming the enemies of the state.
Represented by Chief of Civil and Military Cooperation, Rear Admiral A. O. Ayobanjo, the CDs also called for the provision of safe spaces for journalists to do their work free of harassments by the military.
He said: “Journalists and members of the armed forces are partners in progress. They need each other to actualize the mandates of their professional callings. For instance, notwithstanding the military monopoly in the use of the weapons of violence, it cannot win the war in the hearts and minds of the people by kinetic means.
“On the other hand, despite journalists’ ability to use the power of the pen and media to articulate and disseminate opinions and issues, they need a safe space and conducive environment facilitated by the military and other security agencies for human activities to thrive”.
“This marriage of necessity between the military and journalists has come to stay because there cannot be any form of development in the absence of enduring peace and tranquility. That said, the marriage is not altogether without conflict.”
Earlier, the Chief Executive Officer, Zakclair investment limited, Adelabu Abdulrazak, said the observable mutual suspicion between journalists and the military has affected the war against insecurity in the country.
According to him, such acrimony bothers mainly on media reportage of the number of casualties and abuse of human rights in the theatre of operations during conflicts. He also called on the media to take into cognisance national interest when reporting conflict, while also upholding the principles of journalism.
Some journalists and media organisations across the print and the electronic media were presented with award plaques for their outstanding coverage and reportage of conflicts in the country.
