A former Chief of Army Staff, Lt-Gen. Tukur Buratai (rtd), has said timely dissemination of information by the military is vital to winning the war against insurgency and countering enemy propaganda.
Buratai stated this in Abuja when he received a delegation of the Defence Correspondents Association of Nigeria Annual Lecture and Awards Committee.
In a statement by the public relations officer of DECAN, Matthew Abi, Buratai said the military’s failure to project its operations and provide timely information could affect its strategy and operational effectiveness.
He said, “If you don’t project yourself, if you don’t get your information out as timely as possible, then be reassured that even your battle will be lost. Your strategy will be ineffective, which, by implication, your operational execution will also be affected.”
The former Army chief said defence journalism was a critical tool for informing the public about the challenges, achievements and prospects of the defence sector.
He recalled that during his tenure as Chief of Army Staff, the Nigerian Army deliberately strengthened its relationship with the media by allowing defence correspondents to accompany troops to operational theatres.
According to him, the decision was partly aimed at countering the propaganda machinery of Boko Haram insurgents, who used information to spread their ideology and demoralise citizens and troops.
He said, “The terrorists, insurgents, use media, use information very strongly to propagate their ideas, to demoralise the citizens and even demoralise the military and the best way to counter it, as we did, was to carry the press along and they report right on the scene.”
Buratai recalled an operation during which journalists accompanied the military convoy advancing towards Gamboru Ngala after troops had cleared Mafa and Dikwa.
He said the convoy was ambushed on the way, resulting in the death of one soldier and injuries to a general and another soldier.
According to him, the incident was reported live, allowing the military and the media to provide first-hand accounts of the operation and counter the insurgents’ propaganda.
He said, “Those issues were reported live, and we now broke the Boko Haram information and media propaganda back, so they could no longer have the monopoly to tell the world, to spread rumours.”
Buratai commended defence correspondents for their role in reporting on security operations and urged the media and the military to sustain their relationship in the interest of national development and security.
Earlier, the DECAN President, Odita Sunday, said the delegation was at Buratai’s residence to formally notify him of his nomination and to invite him to serve as Guest Lecturer at the 2026 annual lecture and awards ceremony.
Odita said Buratai’s experience in military leadership, national defence and security matters would contribute to discussions on emerging threats and the use of technology and intelligence in modern security operations.
He said the lecture would provide an avenue for policymakers, security professionals, journalists, academics and other stakeholders to examine Nigeria’s evolving security environment.
Odita added that the annual lecture and awards ceremony would also recognise individuals and institutions whose contributions had advanced national security, defence and responsible journalism in Nigeria.
