…pledges to upgrade NASPRI to global standard
The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Oluyemi Oluyede, has said that media’s influence is a key factor in determining the success of military operations .
It is therefore imperative for Nigerian media to continue to play the crucial role in promoting national security and strengthen it.
Lt.General Oluyede made call whilst declaring open the Directorate of Army Public Relations/Nigerian Army School of Public Relations and Information Media Workshop 2024 at NASPRI Headquarters in Giri, Abuja on Tuesday.
COAS spoke through the Chief of Civil Military Affairs, Major General Nosakhare Ugbo who represented him at the event. He said that media’s role in shaping public perception and garnering support for military operations cannot be overstated.
Speaking on the theme, “Leveraging Digital/Social Media Influence for Effective Military Operations Within a Joint Environment,” General Oluyede said that Nigerian Army has continue to record huge successes in joint operations.
General Oluyede urged participants to ensure that the synergy between the Army and the media is maintained and enhanced.
“It is important to note that the war in the twenty-first century, though fought on battlefields, is won or lost in the media domain. This is why the importance of the media for a successful military operation cannot be overemphasized,” he noted.
General Oluyede also reiterated the Nigerian Army’s commitment to defending the nation and ensuring democratic stability. He pledged to modernize the equipment and state-of-the-art facilities at the NASPRI, and to elevate it to global World standards.
He expressed the gratitude to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his strategic guidance and support. General Oluyede encouraged media practitioners to consider it their responsibility to propagate the message of peace and national security.
Earlier, the Director Army Public Relations, Major General Onyema Nwachukwu, had said the workshop aimed to enhance the relationship between the Nigerian Army, the media, and the public.
He emphasized the importance of effective information management in contemporary military operations and thanked the media for their timely reportage of the military’s successes and achievements, while also charging them to redouble their efforts.
He expressed concern over the lukewarm attitude towards the military by some sections of the media, which has generated public concern and debate. The Director also warned about the potential threat to national security posed by social media influencers who spread hoaxes or distorted information about the military.
General Nwachukwu thanked the COAS for approving the upgrading of NASPRI to a world-class training institution.
In his welcome address, the Acting Commandant NASPRI, Lieutenant Colonel AY Ngulde, said the institution has trained over 4500 students since its inception in April 2010.
He said the school has reviewed its curriculum to accommodate new ideas in public relations practice and information management, including collaborations with renowned professors and doctors from the University of Abuja to enhance the training and teaching of its students.
The 4-day workshop has in attendance personnel of the Directorate of Army Public Relations drawn from military units across the country, , and PROs of other security agencies, academia, media practitioners, resource persons, and other stakeholders.