President of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Comrade Abdulwaheed Odushile, has commended the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai, for the successes recorded in the fight against insurgency in the North east.
Comrade Odushile who gave the commendation at a special congress of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) NUJ Council, noted with satisfaction that normalcy was returning to Borno and other parts, after four years.
He stressed the need for the army to provide journalists with needed information to enable them report correctly.
He noted that the occasional conflict between the military and journalists arose out of the different role each party plays for the wellbeing of the society.
The NUJ president described the Nigeria media as patriotic, saying that the media only criticise the military to make it perform better.
Also, Chairman of the FCT council of the NUJ, Mr. Paul Abechi called for understanding between the military and media in the interest of the nation.
According to Abechi, while Nigerians depend on the military for safety, they also depend on the media for information; hence both parties must work together.
Abechi, who noted the successes so far recorded in the fight against insurgency in the North East, commended Buratai for providing the required leadership in the fight.
Earlier while responding to questions, the Chief of Army Staff restated that no local government area in Borno or any territory in the North East is under the occupation of the Boko Haram.
He said the military had decimated the insurgents and was currently securing the region; but noted that terrorism was complex and called for patience.
The army chief also called on journalists to show understanding in reporting the insurgency for the sake of national interest.
He recalled that in the past, there was mistrust between the media and the army. He, however, assured of seamless flow of information as long as such information does not affect national security.
