The Chief of Defence Staff, CDS, General Christopher Gwabin Musa has called on the Defence Correspondents to continue to frame the defence bit through a development journalism lens, through various options available, including the continuous privatisation of human security, adoption of investigative reporting on policy impacts, and the real-world implications as well as promoting dialogue, inclusivity, and stakeholders' engagement through available forum.
General Musa made the call today, 5th December 2024 at a One-Day Roundtable Discussion For Defence Correspondents Association of Nigeria (DECAN) on Security and National Interest at the NANational Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC), Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), Abuja.
General Musa noted that without a stable country, journalists cannot practice, therefore, he urged media to have empathy and be professional in their reportage. "So I think that's one key area that we really need to look at, that we must love our country, and it's only when you love your country you can protect it."
He said in the area of defence bits, development journalism seeks to promote public awareness and understanding of defence as well as security issues, while holding governments, the defence sector, and other stakeholders accountable for their actions as well as informing decision-making by policymakers and defence officials.
He stressed the need to advocate for sustainable practises through reporting on innovative practises in defence as well as using available data to tell the stories as evidence-based outcomes allows for a more informed public discourse.
The adoption of developmental journalism approach allows for a more active collaboration of journalists and media organisations enabling them to play a more active role in promoting national cohesion and stability while advancing Nigeria's national interests.
"Therefore, our national security cannot and should not solely be reliant on the strength of the armed forces of Nigeria, rather it should be strengthened by Nigeria's educated, healthy, and socially cohesive cooperation underpinned by development journalism." he added
He said the theme for the discussion, National Security and National Interest in the World, a dominant journalism approach for the defence beat, is apt at concealing the prosperity of development and sits at the intersection of national pride, global responsibility, as well as the pursuit of peace, coexistence, and sustainable development.
General Musa noted that the actions of the military in ensuring Nigeria's national security accounts for only 30% or less of the overall efforts required, while the remaining 70% of maintaining Nigeria's peace and security rests on the socio-economic elements of the country.
He said in a nutshell, national security entails the protection of our nation's core values, institutions, as well as citizens from both external and internal threats, while national interest involves the broad goals and objectives guiding our nation's actions and decisions. These critical concerns of our nation, particularly in the face of numerous security challenges, which tends to undermine the very fabric of our country and threatens the safety as well as security of our citizens.
Military efforts to safeguard our nation's sovereignty could be enhanced through development journalism, which is a specialised form of journalism that focusses on the social, economic, and political development of a nation.
The CDS said the development journalism approach will not only require collaboration and dialogue among stakeholders but will also focus on people's centrism in their comprehension of Nigeria's national interests. This approach also resonates with my leadership concept, which is to nurture a professional armed force of Nigeria that is ecocentric, capable of meeting its constitutional responsibilities in a joint and collaborative environment.
General Musa stressed that these options will engender trust and cooperation between the military, civil society, and other stakeholders and enhance contextual and understanding of local dynamics to enhance social cohesion and effective collaboration.
He reminded participants of the efforts of the National Counterterrorism Centre of the National Security Advisor to enhance development journalism in the organisation of today's roundtable discussion among key stakeholders of Nigeria's security and national interests.
Earlier in his remarks, the Coordinator of the National Counter-Terrorism Centre (NCTC), Major-General A.G Laka pointed out that the roundtable discussion with Defence Correspondence was organised share experiences, observations and challenges, aimed to enhance collective understanding of the dynamism of terrorism and its evolving tactics, discover the ethical considerations of reporting on such sensitive issues.
He added that the roundtable discussion is to identify opportunities for collaboration between journalists, security experts and policy makers, and harvest thoughts for the development of a national strategic communication plan and protocol for the gathering and distribution of news on terrorism and violent extremism, with the hope of stemming threats to our national security and interests.
In his remarks, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris represented by the Director General, Voice of Nigeria, Jibril Baba Ndace urged the media to continue to support President Bola and the Armed Forces of Nigeria and other security agencies in the Renewed Hope Agenda.
He noted that beyond just reporting negatively about security, what reporters see sometimes that tends to make some of them very sad, is that they talk about the military and other security agencies as if they are not their brothers and sisters, people who decided to take the path that some of us are afraid to take.
The Resources Person, Major General Chris Olukolade (Rtd) who presented a paper on National Security And National Interest: A Development Journalism Approach for the Defence Beat made some recommendations which includes, to enhance the relationship between national security, national interest, and defence reporting, it is crucial to foster collaboration between journalists, policymakers, and defence institutions.
He noted that initiatives such as capacity-building workshops for defence reporters, clear communication channels, and adherence to ethical reporting standards can ensure that journalism contributes positively to national security without undermining the national interest.
"Nigerian journalists should adopt a development journalism approach for the defence beat, focusing on the human impact of national security issues.
"Media outlets should invest in training and capacity-building programmes for journalists reporting on national security issues.
"Towards a Positive Coverage in the Defence Beat: To ensure circumspection in de ortina, journalists should adhere to
Retired Major General Olukolade said as patriotic Nigerians, we should continue to work together to promote the cultural security awareness and collective responsibility, which has been the gospel we’ve been preaching all this while but everybody should have considered himself or herself a stakeholder.”
“This paper will try to see the application of development journalism to defence reporting, underscoring the need to be circumspect in ensuring that media coverage aligns with national interests. National security and national interests are intricately linked concepts that form the foundation of the nation’s existence and prosperity. It is this principle that guides the formulation of policies aimed at protecting the state’s sovereignty, ensuring the well-being of the citizens, and fostering socioeconomic growth,” he added.
However, the evolving dynamics of global and domestic threats ranging from terrorism to climate change necessitates a nuanced approach to national security reporting.