The Nigerian Army has identified the social media as a critical stakeholder in it’s kinetic and non-kinetic operations.
This was brought to the fore by the Chief of Civil Military Affairs, Major General MG Kangye on Wednesday during the 24th Social Media Influencers Seminar, organised by the Army Headquarters Department of Civil Military Affairs in conjunction with Security Affairs Limited on the theme, “The Nigerian Army’s Non-Kinetic Lines of Operation: Critical Roles of Social Media”,
In his opening remark, Major General MG Kangye represented by Brig. Gen. H Mabeokwu, said social media seminars is one of the many ways through which the Nigerian Army interact with the civil populace in order to foster civil-military co-operation.
While revealing the importance of the social media in the operations of the military, he said the media generally speaking, play pivotal role in fostering peace as well as work in tandem with the Army’s kinetic and non-kinetic lines of operation.
Brig. Gen. Mabeokwu, who maintained that the cyberspace is critical in winning the war against insurgency, banditry among other societal ills, urged bloggers that use the cyberspace, to enlighten the public aright and shun fake news which is inimical to the peace and unity of Nigeria.
He pointed out that the Nigerian Army has embarked on impactful programmes across the country as part of her corporate social responsibility, regrettably these programmes have been marred by fake news, under-reported or misreported, saying much effort has not been made by the media to present the activities of the Army positively.
Brig. Gen. Mabeokwu, hinted that in the midst of these anomalies, the Army from time to time engage the media as purveyors of information dissemination to report accurately military operations while holding tenaciously to the peace and unity of the country.
In his vote of thanks, the Executive Director, Security Affairs Limited Consultant, Ambassador Austin Peacemaker, appreciated the Chief of Army Staff Lieutenant General F. Yahaya, for the opportunity to have an interactive section with Army hierarchy. He commended Chief of Civilian Military Affairs, Major General MG Kangye, the resource persons, bloggers, media practitioners, CSOs, among others who made the seminar a success, urging all to take the message to the populace.
Correspondent reports that the seminar availed participants opportunity to ask pertinent questions and make laudable suggestions as to how the Nigerian military should relate with the civilian populace.
