Olushola Omogbehin
The Federal Government is considering a fresh arrangement that would allow journalists to accompany military personnel during selected operations in order to improve security reporting and strengthen public understanding of Nigeria’s security challenges.
This was disclosed by the Minister of Defence, Gen. Christopher Musa, on Thursday at the National Security Summit organised by the Nigeria Union of Journalists in Abuja.
According to the minister who was represented by his Special Adviser, Rear Admiral Olusanya Bankole, the proposed arrangement would foster closer collaboration between the media and security agencies while promoting transparency in military activities.
He said this was informed by the strategic role media is playing in shaping public perception of security operations and national stability because security management has now gone beyond conventional battlefields.
Modern conflicts, he said, are increasingly influenced by information and narratives, thereby making the media an important stakeholder in the country’s security architecture.
The minister said that the success of security operations should not be a function of military victories alone but also by the degree of confidence citizens have in security institutions.
“More than ever before, the media are not only enablers; they are stabilizers of government.
“The defense ministry is exploring arrangements to embed journalists with military units during operations to enable more accurate reporting and deeper understanding of operational realities,” he said.
Musa explained that the proposal forms part of broader efforts to improve engagement between the military and the media, with the objective of ensuring that information about security operations is accurately conveyed to the public.
He stressed as well that the success of military operations should not be graded solely by battlefield achievements but also by the level of public confidence in security institutions.
The proposed initiative is coming at a time Nigeria continues to battle multiple security challenges, including insurgency and when security agencies are faced with criticism over limited access to operational areas.
