By Victor Akaa.
The Director General Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN), Dr. Mohammed Bulama, has commended the Nigerian Armed Forces for their efforts in protecting the country’s territorial integrity and maintaining peace and harmony.
Speaking during the opening ceremony of the maiden Defence Headquarters Psychological Operations Workshop 2025 on Wednesday in Abuja, Dr. Bulama who is the Special Guest of Honour noted that without the military’s efforts, Borno State, his home state, would have been overrun by Boko Haram insurgents.
Dr. Bulama, who served as Commissioner of Information in Borno State during the height of the insurgency, expressed his gratitude to the Armed Forces for their sacrifices. “I would not be far from the truth if I said that but for the efforts of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, there would be no entity called Borno State, at least certainly not, there wouldn’t be Maiduguri. We would have been overrun,” he said.
Dr. Baluma while speaking on the theme, “Defence Headquarters Influence Operations Optimizing Psychological Operations for
efficiency within a Joint Environment,” stressed the importance of psychological operations in addressing security challenges, noting that “The theatre of warfare is the mind,” and emphasised the need for non-kinetic approaches.
He identified three key roles psychological operations can play to include; counter-radicalisation and de-radicalisation, winning hearts and minds in conflict zones, and crisis communication and misinformation management.
Dr. Bulama urged the Armed Forces to redouble their efforts in finding timely solutions to security challenges. “Nigerians are no longer patient to endure further killings in the country. We must therefore find timely but workable solutions that convince Nigerians that the federal government is indeed doing everything possible to meet up with its primary responsibility of protecting the lives and property of law-abiding citizens.” He stated.
The Special Guest of Honour expressed confidence in the Armed Forces’ capabilities, noting that they have done a great job despite limited resources, assuring that the Federal Government will continue to support the Armed Forces of Nigeria to restore peace and security to the country.
Earlier in his welcome address, the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Christopher Musa, highlighted the significance of the Defence Headquarters Maiden Workshop on Psychological Operations.
He stated that the workshop is in line with his leadership concept for the Armed Forces which is “to nurture a professional armed forces of Nigeria that is people-centric, collaborative and capable of meeting its constitutional responsibilities in a joint and collaborative environment.”
General Musa emphasised that the workshop is timely, given the evolving nature of modern warfare and the increasing importance of influencing perceptions, attitudes, and behaviours. “The prevalent threats in Nigeria’s internal security landscape will not be tackled through kinetic operations alone,” he noted, highlighting the need for non-kinetic efforts to support kinetic actions.
The CDS expressed determination to restore peace and stability in the country, and emphasised the importance of non-kinectic strategies particularly psychological operations in shaping the environment in favour of ongoing operations.
In his goodwill message, the Commander Nigerian Army Cyber Warfare Command, Major General Adeleke Ayannuga, emphasised the critical role of psychological operations in the country’s security landscape.
He noted that psychological operations play an increasingly important role in achieving synergy across the armed forces, particularly in today’s multifaceted security environment.
Major General Ayannuga highlighted the evolving nature of the battle space, where social media and artificial intelligence significantly impact operational effectiveness.
He quoted a renowned military strategist, saying, “The most effective form of warfare consists in the destruction of the enemy’s will to resist,” underscoring the importance of psychological operations in achieving strategic objectives with potentially less kinetic engagement.
