The Nigerian government has announced plans to embed journalists with military units during selected operations as part of efforts to improve the accuracy of security reporting and enhance public understanding of ongoing counter-insurgency and internal security operations.
Minister of Defence, General Christopher Gwabin Musa (rtd), disclosed this on Thursday at the National Security Summit organised by the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) in collaboration with the Department of State Services (DSS) in Abuja.
Represented by his Special Adviser, Rear Admiral Olusanya Bankole (rtd), the minister said the initiative is aimed at strengthening collaboration between the media and security agencies, while promoting transparency and boosting public confidence in military operations.
The summit, themed “Media and Security Agencies as Partners in Nation Building”, brought together security chiefs, policymakers, media executives, academics and civil society representatives to discuss strategies for addressing Nigeria’s evolving security challenges.
Musa described the media as a critical partner in national security management, stressing that modern warfare now extends beyond the land, air and maritime domains to include the information space.
According to him, effective security outcomes should not be measured solely by battlefield successes but also by the level of public trust and confidence in security institutions.
“More than ever before, the media are not only enablers; they are stabilisers of government,” he said.
He added that journalists play a vital role in promoting national unity, patriotism and resilience.
The Defence Minister cautioned against the premature release of sensitive operational information, warning that such disclosures could compromise missions, endanger personnel and inadvertently assist criminal networks.
He said the Defence Ministry is exploring arrangements to embed journalists within military formations during operations to provide first-hand exposure to operational realities and improve the quality of security reporting.
“The Defence Ministry is exploring arrangements to embed journalists with military units during operations to enable more accurate reporting and a deeper understanding of operational realities,” he said.
Musa noted that the initiative aligns with the evolving nature of modern warfare, which encompasses both kinetic and non-kinetic approaches, including information management, strategic communication and community engagement.
