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The Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Olufemi Oluyede, has urged stronger collaboration between the Nigerian Army and media organisations to counter misinformation, protect operational integrity and strengthen national security.
Oluyede made the remarks at the opening of the Directorate of Army Public Relations’ combined third and fourth quarters media training seminar held at the Nigerian Army Resource Centre, Abuja.
“Victory today is not won solely on the battlefield. Increasingly, it is fought in the information domain where narratives, perceptions and public confidence are decisive,” the COAS said
The Army chief spokes through the Commander, Nigerian Army Cyber Warfare Command, Maj.-Gen. Mohammed Tanimu Abdullahi, he warned that the rise of digital technologies and artificial intelligence had multiplied the spread and reach of both genuine and false information.
“Fake news, manipulated images, and deepfakes now pose real threats to national cohesion and operational integrity. Therefore, our collective task is not only to counter misinformation but to ensure that truth and verified facts dominate public discourse,” Oluyede said.
The seminar, themed “Enhancing Responsible Media Reportage of Nigerian Army Operations in a Joint and Multi-Agency Environment for Enhanced National Security,” gathered defence correspondents, military spokespersons and media executives to discuss ethical reporting, crisis communication and information management in a joint operational context.
Welcoming participants, the Acting Director, Army Public Relations, Lt.-Col. O.A. Anele, said the engagement aimed to deepen military–media synergy and equip journalists and military communicators to manage defence narratives responsibly.
“In today’s dynamic security environment, the role of the media goes beyond reporting events. It extends to shaping public perception, rallying national support, countering misinformation and influencing the success of military operations,” Lt.-Col. Anele said.
Speakers highlighted the weaponisation of information in contemporary conflict: hybrid threats, disinformation campaigns and AI-driven fake content that can demoralise troops or inflame public tensions. Panellists urged robust fact-checking, verification and a commitment to ethics from all media stakeholders.
The COAS congratulated DAPR for organising the seminar and commended resource persons and representatives from sister agencies for their collaboration.
He also stressed the Army’s commitment to provide timely, credible and verifiable information to enable responsible reporting while safeguarding national security interests.
“The Directorate of Army Public Relations remains committed to ensuring access to timely, credible and verifiable information that enables responsible reportage while safeguarding national security interests,” the COAS said in remarks delivered by Maj.-Gen. Abdullahi.
Oluyede called on journalists to exercise professionalism and patriotism in their reporting of military operations and urged members of the public to support security agencies with timely and credible information that would aid ongoing operations.
He reminded participants that while weapons win battles, “truth and trust win wars,” and wished the seminar attendees “a fruitful and impactful engagement.”
The training session forms part of the Nigerian Army’s broader effort to modernise its communication strategy, improve transparency, and build stronger partnerships with media practitioners and other security agencies.
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