The Director- General of the Voice of Nigeria (VON), Malam Jibrin Ndace, has urged the Nigerian military to see the media as a force multiplier and partner in its operations .
Ndace this known on Saturday while speaking as a Guest lecturer at the Naval War College in Calabar.
He spoke on the topic, “Strenthening military – media collaboration: a strategic imperative for the Nigerian Navy.”
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the lecture which was for the Naval Warfare Course Eight, had 24 participants from Guinea Bissau, Cameroon and Ghana.
Ndace underscored the significance of a robust relationship between the military and the media while urging a symbiotic relationship between both organisations to build public trust and support.
He noted that the current media space, which has expanded due to the advent of social media and citizens’ journalism, was advantageous for the Nigerian Navy and the Armed Forces.
He said that the armed forces should take advantage of this space in disseminating information about its activities rather than give room to speculations.
“The military should take advantage of the media space to shape the narrative by letting the public know of the various achievements taken to ensure Nigeria and Africa enjoy peace.
“The military must have a media plan and embedded journalists in the combat zone, which would enable the reporter tell the story and build trust between military and media personnel. deliberately.
“There should be layers of engagements with the media from the reporters on the field to the top media echelons in the offices, this is necessary to create a better understanding of operations of the Armed Forces,” he said.
Speaking further, Ndace advised journalists to have deeper knowledge of the defence beat and other military operations.
He said this would enable them to have better grasp of the activities and sacrifices made by the Nigerian Armed Forces for the country.
Responding, Rear Adm. Abdullahi Ahmed, Commandant Naval War College, thanked the DG for the insightful lecture while admonishing participants of the course who would be future commanders to build a strong synergy with the media. (NAN)
