By Ismail Azeez.
Nigerian Army has charged social media influencers on the use of new media to rout out the fake news in order to strengthen the nation’s national security in the media platform.
The Army addressed fake news as a menace which is capable for threat or danger national security.
The Chief of Nigerian Army Staff, Lieutenant-General Tukur Buratai made the urge on Monday at the 10th edition of the Social Media Seminar organised by the Department of Civil-Military Affairs in conjunction with the Security Affairs Limited for social media influencers, bloggers, online journalists and members of the Civil Society Organisations, at Aenon Suites and Hotels International, GRA, Osogbo, Osun state.
The seminar tagged; The Evolving Role Of The Social Media In Support Of The Nigerian Army’s Non-Kinetic Line Of Operations.
Buratai who was represented by the Chief of Policy and Plans, Army Headquarters, the Lieutenant General Lamidi Oyebayo Adeosun said, Nigerian Army is ever ready to end the raging security challenges as it would leave no stone unturned in curbing criminal activities and ensuring general security in Nigeria.
According to him, the Nigerian Army has prepared to rout out the menace of fake news in order to strengthen the nation’s national security in the media platform.
He maintained that Nigerian Army is taken necessary measure to prevent such adversaries from obtaining information of operational security value by training and retraining of personnel on the use of social media, development of response capacity, engagement and information sharing.
Buratai further stressed that the creation of strategic narratives is very core to the military online social media platforms users, adding that the battle of narratives is a bedrock in winning the fight against insurgents.
However, the Osun State Governor, Gboyega Oyetola has submitted that a blend of active and soft forces is required to win the war against insurgency and perpetually restore peace to Nigeria.
While speaking at the seminar, Oyetola advocated collective efforts in the fight against the raging insecurity in the country, noting that collaborative effort and patriotism remain the tool that both the military and the civilians require for the nation to win the war against insurgency.
Governor Oyetola who described security as sine qua non to sustainable democratic governance, peace, unity and stability of any nation, saluted the vision of the leadership of Nigerian Army for engaging in Military-Civil Relations activities to foster cordial relationship as part of the non-kinetic operations designed to improve Army operations and restore peace to the nation.
Oyetola said the seminar came at a challenging time when fake news is menacingly fuelling the raging insecurity and hampering the modest efforts of the military to stem the tide of insecurity in the country.
