Public communication experts have reiterated the importance of genuine collaboration between the military establishment especially the Nigerian Army and civilian populace in order to get adequate information needed to defeat the festering banditry and insurgency in the country 

Rising from a Two-Day Roundtable Series with the theme: “Asymmetrical National Security Challenges, The Army and National Development” which ended on Tuesday at Nigerian Army Resource Centre (NARC), Asokoro, Abuja, the experts agreed that for the Nigerian Army to win the war in banditry and insurgency confronting the country, Nigerian Army must cultivate a mutual trust with the civilian populace.

Speakers after speakers at the event emphasised the gains of the Nigerian Army will make in the war against banditry and insurgency by showing friendly disposition to the civilians as such cooperations will ensure that the security agencies get the information they need to deal decisively with the spate of insecurity in Nigeria from the civil society. 

Specifically, Brigadier General Sani Kukasheka Usman (rtd), Consultant Director, Corporate Affairs and Information Services (DCAIS) at NARC in his paper titled: “Role of Non-Violent Communication Case Study of Army Civilian Relations National Security Communication” reiterated the importance of Non-Violent Communication (NVC) by the Army in order to win the trust of the civilian populace. 

According to the former Director of Army Public Relations and Spokesman for the Nigerian Army, the institution has to adopt a more humane attitude towards the civilian populace including the media to win the trust of the citizens. 

Said he: the Nigerian Army don’t have to be judgemental about the civilians, they have to show compassion and work together for the good of the nation”. 

He emphasised the importance of NVC in Army Civilian Relations, pointing out the role of effective communication which includes subtle words to win the people over. They have to be nice to the civilian populace to help give them information they need to fight insecurity. 

“Part of the way to win the trust of the civilians is treat them like human beings and with respect to offer the Army information to be win the war in banditry and insurgency. Human rights violations should be avoided too”, Gen. Usman said.

Also, in his paper titled: “Training and Retraining Templates for Security- Sensitive Communication and Reporting”, Professor Abiodun Adeniyi, Deputy Dean of the School of Postgraduate Studies, Baze University, Abuja, counselled information managers of the Army to be mindful of misinformation, disinformation and too much information that is in the media in the course of doing their jobs.

This is even as he reminded the media professionals how important it is to protect the nation in the bid to break the news while he asked the Army to protect the sources of information and consumers of the information.

However, Mallam Ali M. Ali, Managing Director/CEO,  News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in his paper titled:”Professional News Management as Panacea for Infodemics, Misinformation and Fake” also counselled communications specialists (Public Relations practitioners) especially in Nigerin Army to be professional and not to engage in one size fits all practice.

He explained that infodemics is a combination of Information and Epidemics, pointing out that infodemics can spread misinformation and disinformation while 

misinformation can encourage harmful behaviour in the society that will lead to breakdown of law and order and lead to breakdown of social cohesion.

On fake news, Mallam Ali described it as a hoax, saying “It is always false, it never happened. It’s a sensational news item to attract attention and to hoodwink the public”. 

“Outstanding Achievements of the Nigerian Army in Combating Insurgency, Banditry and Asymmetrical Security Challenges” 

Major General James Myam, former Executive Director, Consult, Nigerian Army Resource Centre (NARC) who chaired the Roundtable Series commended the Nigerian Army on the outstanding the achievements of the men in uniform in combating insurgency, banditry and asymmetrical security challenges.

Professor Okey Ikechukwu, Executive Director DSA and Strategic Management, Leadership and Governance Consultant who coordinated the programme believes that participants drawn mainly from Nigerian Army and media would have been richly educated by attending the two-day event hence they will be expected to change agents in the  asymmetrical national security challenges facing Nigeria.