To win the hearts of Nigerians, security agents must factor the media into its strategies as long as they don’t breach national security.
This was the position of Professor Okey Ikechukwu during a RoundTable session on Asymmetric security challenges, held at the Army Resource Centre in Abuja.
Also present during the epoch-making event were Waziri Adio, former spokesman of the Nigerian Army, Brigadier General Sani Kukasheka Usman (rtd); Malam Ali Muhammad Ali, Managing Director of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN); Professor Biodun Adeniyi of Baze University, the Director General of Voice of Nigeria (VON), Jibrin Ndace, Margaret Agbo of Development Specs Academy and others.
All the speakers did justice to the topic: Asymmetric security challenges.
They offered ideas on how best the military and other security agencies can synergise with the media and media practitioners in the dissemination of information for harmonious relationship, amidst the security challenges facing the country.
Ikechukwu insisted on the need for the media to be always factored into the plans of the military for the purpose of winning the hearts and minds of Nigerians and winning the war against terror.
Adio, who spoke on the need for synergy between the media and the military, highlighted the centrality of media to security issues and national development.
He identified, among others, issues such as an engagement plan as a strategy, saying that “it is all about what you need from whom, when and how?”
He stressed the need to understand the ecosystem and its configuration.
“Need to understand them: who are they, how are they wired, and how do they make decisions?
“Need to broaden the field of engagement: going beyond correspondents to decision-makers: publishers/owners, editors, columnists, anchors…
“Need to consistently nurture the relationship: Noah’s analogy. Preparation. Briefings. Consultations.
“Need to be proactive in shaping narrative: Banex example
“Need to know the limits: they can’t always do your bidding (most that can get sometimes is to reflect your own side or downplay)”
Ndace canvassed for the incorporation of media planning.
Communication, media as well as gender issues formed focal point during the second day of the event.
Usman noted that the impact of Non-Violent Communication (NVC) on national security in Nigeria is profound.
“By fostering a culture of dialogue and understanding, NVC contributes to:
“Stability: Improved army-civilian relations lead to greater stability within communities, reducing the likelihood of insurgencies and civil unrest.
“Collaboration: Enhanced communication and trust enable more effective collaboration between the military and civilian populations in addressing security challenges.
“Human Rights Protection: NVC encourages the military to engage with civilians in ways that respect human rights and dignity, reducing incidences of abuse and violence”.
In his presentation, Ali M. Ali said: “If what we have endured are the often negative and sometimes tragic outcomes of infodemics, misinformation and fake news, how can communication specialists, some of whom are gathered here, sustainably mitigate the damage wrought by adversarial report as well as manage information in a way that will promote the public good?
“The authenticity of a message reinforces that copy or communication. When people perceive the message to be authentic, they tend to believe it the more and show understanding. Genuineness or sincerity is critical in winning the people over.
“For example, through sustained information outflows by certain institutions (Army, Police, first emergency responders, Lagos Government etc,) the Lekki Gate false narratives during the #EndSARS protest were debunked as a ” massacre without bodies!
“We must also be timely in countering misinformation. This entails striking a balance between speedily responding and the volume of information available. A burning issue should not be allowed to fester before we react although there are times when silence is said to be golden until an auspicious time when a valid response would be desirable.
“Because misinformation and fake news are crafted to be sensational, we must also craft our responses in an interesting manner that would attract attention given the crowded media space and the competition for attention.
“We must also work with friendly media influencers who are credible and have the capacity to push out copies which grab media attention.
“Regular communication through constant engagements is critical, especially for institutions of state. They must always talk to the people and not the people begging them to react to issues as they break. In effect, we must be proactive rather than reactive in communication.
“Institutions of state in particular must promote digital literacy among their communications professionals, especially now that the media landscape is constantly in a state of flux.”
Adeniyi took a look at the issues of reporting security related matter.
“Public Interest: Assess whether the story serves the public interest.
“Harm Minimisation: Weigh the potential harm to individuals and communities against the public’s need to know.
“Informed Consent: Seek consent from individuals involved, particularly when dealing with vulnerable populations.”
Gender Sensitive Communication
Agbo, who spoke on gender sensitive communication, asserted: ”Our use of gender-biased language is sometimes designed to deliberately give offence, but not always. Whether intended to give offence or not, gender-biased use of language tends towards social exclusion and not inclusion.
“Gender inclusive communication on the other hand, reduces discrimination and makes everyone feel that he or she is part of a team or group of equal parts. It reenforces group cohesion, collaboration, team work and reduces conflict. It also strengthens self confidence among the individual and promotes forward looking social change.
“In order to improve gender sensitive communication, we must avoid gender stereotypes, exclusionary terms, unequal forms of address, and gender inequity through titles and labels”.
She concluded by outlining what she termed steps toward gender sensitive communication thus: “Training of communication personnel to raise awareness about gender biases and stereotypes.
”Develop and explain gender neutral expressions that could be used to substitute gender biased notions and culturally induced gender stereotypes.
“Entrenched commitment to equity through non-discriminatory practices as official policy.
“Avoid the use of negative gender-specific terms as a matter of course”.
