The former Director of Defence Information, Retired Major General Chris Olukolade, has identified communication as a critical element of modern security operations, warning that the gap between operational decisions and public understanding can affect national security outcomes.
Speaking at the NUJ National Security Summit in Abuja, Olukolade noted that security institutions often operate under pressure, uncertainty and limited timelines, making effective communication essential in maintaining public confidence.
He explained that “security decisions are frequently made within compressed operational environments where prevention takes priority, but delayed communication can create gaps that allow confusion and competing narratives to emerge.’
The retired general stressed that the challenge is not always the intention behind security actions but the timing and structure of communication around those actions.
Also speaking at the summit, a former Director of Information in the Nigerian Navy, retired Commodore Aliyu Kabir said that “the media should be viewed as a strategic component of the broader security communication framework rather than only an external observer.”
Kabir maintained that modern security environments require institutions to integrate communication into operational planning because information now influences public trust, perception and cooperation.
He noted that crisis communication cannot remain an after-action activity, as weak engagement structures often create information vacuums that are quickly filled by misinformation and speculation.
The discussions highlighted a growing shift in security thinking, where communication is increasingly treated as part of operational effectiveness alongside intelligence, coordination and field capability.
The summit reinforced the need for stronger institutional engagement between security agencies and journalists to build a communication framework capable of supporting national stability.
