By Victor Akaa, Abuja.
The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai has said national security is sacrosanct and must be privatised, protected and not be exposed.
Gen. Buratai gave the charge in Abuja when he played host to the Editor in Chief media Trust Ltd, Mallam Mannir Dan–Ali and his colleagues in Abuja.
Buratai who revealed that the Nigerian Army was facing the enormous challenges and called on all to rally round the army.
“This institution ,the Nigerian army is facing challenges and everybody should rally round the NA without exposing the National security.
He also lamented that, there was also a need for the media to deliberately support and protect the integrity of the NA without bargain while commending the media for their support and understanding so far.
“I want to say that I appreciate your understanding of the challenges of the NA is facing.
“Ordinarily, it shouldn’t be issue to be discussed or even to be campaigned for or solicit for, but it should be natural that media should support their army because these are young men and women and of course true Nigerians who are ready to lay down their lives and some have actually laid down their lives.
“They have paid their supreme price.
“And this has been happening in several fora, in several theatres which you all know ”.
Buratai who said, there was a need for both the media and the NA to understand and work together, explains that the both have the patriotic task and constitutional responsibility to do and warned not to put it into jeopardy while performing its constitutional duty.
He called on the the media to work closely together with NA to totally defeat terrorism and other criminality in the country.
He therefore promised to partner and subscribe to the ‘Teen Trust’ newspaper as well as approve all the proposals brought to him by the media organisation .
Meanwhile, the Chief Executive officer and the Editor in chief of the media Trust Lt had earlier said, they were in the office of the COAS to commend the NA and all its personnel for assisting the Nigerian police in safeguarding the lives and properties in the country.
Also as a business organisation ,discuss and propose a strategic partnership a s well as other initiative that will be mutually beneficial to both parties.
“I am here together with my colleagues this after on the courtesy call to thank the NA for all the good works they have been doing for our dear country Nigeria.
“We are very grateful that the Nigerian military has been there for all of us all the time.
“Of course, there are still issues but we are confident that the Nigerian military is able to contend and deal with these issues effectively”.
On the peacekeeping, Dan–Ali said, the role the Nigerian military is playing has earned them global recognition and accolades.
“I am saying that without forgetting the peacekeeping role that the Nigerian military is carrying out in various countries and all the accolades that the Nigerian military has gotten for the peacekeeping work they have done both on the African continent and even beyond.
“I will like to commend the NA for standing curious especially when they go out on this very honest duty where the name of Nigeria is at stake”.
Mallam Mannir describes the relationship between the NA and the media as somewhat an easy one while explaining that the Nigerian media is out to protect and defend the integrity of the military and sued for major understanding .
On gaining the confidence and support of the Nigerian people, the Mallam Dan–Ali advised that the NA should digress into soft ways of doing things rather than their normal kinetic approaches.
“NA should engage in many other soft activities than its normal kinetic and hardware known by the people.
“The Nigerian military is not all about the kinetic force but also the soft power that tends to go deep in the psyche of people”.
The Editor in chief, media Trust Ltd later presented some proposals to the NA including subscription of one of the newspaper, the Teen Trust, a newspaper that is available only by subscription,booking a page for the advertisement of NA activities amongst others.
Those in attendance were the Chief of Army Staff, top military officers, Editor in chief media Trust Ltd and his colleagues as well as journalists.
