By Uloma Peace Okorie
The Minister of Defence, retired General Christopher Musa, on Wednesday called for closer collaboration between the military and the media as part of efforts to address Nigeria’s evolving security challenges.
Gen. Musa made the call while receiving the executive members of the Defence Correspondents Association of Nigeria (DECAN) on a courtesy visit at the Ministry of Defence in Abuja.
He said the support of journalists was critical at this stage of asymmetric warfare, noting that the military must work with the media to counter terrorist ideologies and check the spread of online propaganda.
“The military urgently needs the partnership of the media to win the battle of narratives,” the Minister stated. “In times like this, accurate, timely and credible information is a weapon.”
Gen. Musa also pledged to run an open-door policy at the Ministry to ensure defence correspondents have access to reliable information. He further urged them to maintain fairness, balance and professionalism in their reporting to help build strong public trust in the Armed Forces.
Earlier, DECAN President, Mr. Sunday Odita, and General Secretary, Mr. Umar Bologi, congratulated the Minister on his leadership and reaffirmed the association’s commitment to responsible reportage of defence and security matters.
The association also announced plans to honor Gen. Musa as its Grand Patron during an upcoming conference.
The meeting comes amid heightened public discourse on national security, with the Minister recently debunking claims of resignation in videos that circulated online.