Stakeholders in the security and media sectors have advocated social reorientation of Nigerian citizens to tackle insecurity in the country.
The experts took turns to make their submissions at the end of a two-day roundtable organised by the Nigerian Army Resource Centre (NARC) in collaboration with Development Specs Academy (DSA), in Abuja.
With the event’s theme: “Asymmetrical National Security Challenges, the Army and National Development”, DSA’s Executive Director, Prof. Okey Ikechukwu, said security challenges were beyond following traditional methods.
“As such, there is the need for a social reorientation of citizens to divulge information on threats in their communities to security agencies.
“It is about a progressive change of social attitude about security at the level of awareness, at the level of people knowing that I should have an interest in securing myself.
“So, I should tell the persons responsible when I see danger.
“More importantly, education and re-education of youth leaders.
“If they become part of the conversation, they will be in a position to tell those who don’t know what to do with themselves, we give them what to do.
“In our village, you notice a stranger, you tell the traditional ruler, they go to the police, that’s what enables security agencies to operate,” he said.
In his remarks, NARC Director-General, retired Maj.-Gen. Garba Wahab, represented by retired Maj.-Gen. James Miyam, said that the objective of the roundtable was to foster military-media cooperation and understanding.
“What came out in the roundtable is that there is an overarching need for perception management by media managers.
“This is for them to understand, balance and carry out their responsibilities well.
“So we are trying to now sensitise the entire Nigerian citizenry on the need for them to come where they have information that can enhance operational activities of the military.
“They should not shy away, they should quickly come forward and give this information,” he said.
For his part, the Managing Director, News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Mr Ali Muhammad Ali, spoke on the topic ‘Professional News Management as Panacea for Infodemics, Misinformation and Fake News”.
“In an increasingly shrinking global space marked by exponential growth in media convergence and artificial intelligence, the dampeners of infodemics, misinformation and fake news have all but assumed lives of their own.
“This development rightly ought to be a source of concern and it is gratifying that NARC and the Development Specs Academy have given this issue more than cursory attention,” he said.
Proffering solutions to infodemics and misinformation, Ali stressed that truth and accuracy must be upheld.
Traditional rulers and non-governmental organisations restated the need for collaboration and funding to tackle insecurity at all levels.
