Brig.-Gen. Muftau Ibrahim, the Commander, 13 Brigade, Nigerian Army, Calabar, has urged the media to adequately report the successes of the military in the fight against insurgency.
Ibrahim made the call in Calabar on Wednesday when the leadership and members of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Cross River Council, visited him.
The commander who acknowledged the role of the media in nation building, said that there was need to give more exposure of the wins of the military than the activities of criminals.
“All the criminals need is to win once and they are all over the media, but the Nigerian military wins everyday, yet no one notices.
“Without the media beaming their light on the activities and wins of the Nigerian Army, it will not be known and there will be a lot of misinformation.
“Sometimes, we take action that the civil populace don’t understand. Sometimes too, there are accidents, but our overall intention is the peace and security of the country,” he said.
Ibrahim said that the social media had become an emerging source of worry to the society because it was now an unguarded avenue to peddle falsehood and provocative statements.
“People hide under the social media to make inciting and highly provocative statements capable of destroying the society.
“It is unpatriotic to make statements that threaten the security and development of the nation.
“It is important that we love, secure and be patriotic towards our nation. I don’t believe that anything is wrong with Nigeria,
“The citizens are the ones who give the nation a bad image, but in reality, this nation is blessed, we must change from this,” he said.
The commander further said that no form of insurgency or militancy would survive without the support of the local populace.
He said that Cross River had remained relatively peaceful and stable because the residents were naturally peaceful people.
Earlier, Mrs Archibong Bassey, the Chairman, NUJ, Cross River Council, commended the army for the enormous security work it was doing in the nation, saying that the force had not been adequately appreciated.
“We only appreciate the army during the Armed Forces Remembrance Day, this is not enough, we need to appreciate the heroic achievements of the force.
She added that the union was ready to partner the army in the campaign against insecurity by ensuring that its achievements were adequately reported.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Ibrahim is the 46th commander of 13 Brigade, Calabar. He assumed the responsibility in January, 2024.
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