ABUJA, Nigeria — The Acting Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Oluyemi Oluyede, officially inaugurated a media workshop organized by the Directorate of Army Public Relations (DAPR) in conjunction with the Nigerian Army School of Public Relations and Information (NASPRI) on Tuesday. Held at NASPRI Headquarters in Giri, Abuja, the workshop underscored the imperative of sustained collaboration between the Nigerian Army and the media.
Represented by the Chief of Civil Military Affairs, Major General Nosakhare Ugbo, Lt. General Oluyede highlighted the critical role of media collaboration in achieving the Army’s operational successes nationwide. He noted that today’s security landscape, marked by terrorism, insurgency, banditry, separatist movements, and kidnappings, demands an intertwined relationship between military operations and media engagement. “Wars in the 21st Century, although fought on battlefields, are ultimately won or lost in the media domain,” he asserted.
Lt. General Oluyede emphasized that the media’s influence shapes public perception and support, which are crucial for operational success. He called for the Directorate of Army Public Relations to enhance its existing synergy with the media to foster mutual understanding and cooperation for national peace and security.
Reaffirming the Army’s dedication to national defense and democratic stability, Lt. General Oluyede pledged to modernize NASPRI’s facilities to global standards. He expressed gratitude to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his strategic support and urged media practitioners to propagate the message of peace and national security.
In his remarks, Major General Onyema Nwachukwu, Director of Army Public Relations, highlighted the workshop’s aim to equip DAPR officers and participants with skills to analyze and engage with diverse public segments, adapt to the fluid media environment, and develop positive narratives that garner support for military and security agencies. He lamented the recent lukewarm attitude towards the military by sections of the media, calling for a more accurate and responsible reportage.
Maj. General Nwachukwu noted the Army’s strategic use of social media to tell its stories, propagate its narratives, and analyze public feedback. While commending the media for timely reporting on military achievements, he raised concerns over the alarming rate of fake news and its impact on national security.
He assured that NASPRI will continue to produce qualified personnel who will positively project the Nigerian Army. Lt. Colonel AY Ngulde, Acting Commandant of NASPRI, stated that the institution has trained over 4,500 students, including officers from the Nigerian Army, Navy, and Air Force since its inception in April 2010. He underscored the vital role of media collaboration in modern warfare and announced curriculum enhancements in partnership with the University of Abuja.
The workshop, themed “Leveraging Digital/Social Media Influence for Effective Military Operations Within a Joint Environment,” convened 500 participants, including Public Relations Officers of the Nigerian Army, Commanding Officers, Defence Correspondents, Media Stakeholders, and PROs of various security agencies, to discuss the dynamics of the digital media landscape in an evolving technological environment. The event aimed to strengthen the relationship between the media, military, and the public in the interest of national security development.
