Former Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai (retd.), has stressed the importance of timely dissemination of military information in winning the war against insurgency and countering terrorist propaganda.
Buratai stated this on Friday in Abuja when he received a delegation from the Defence Correspondents Association of Nigeria (DECAN) Annual Lecture and Awards Committee.
The former Army chief said failure by the military to adequately project its operations and provide timely information could undermine its strategy and operational effectiveness.
“If you don’t project yourself, if you don’t get your information out as timely as possible, then be reassured that even your battle will be lost. Your strategy will be ineffective, which by implication, your operational execution will also be affected,” he said.
Buratai described defence journalism as a critical tool for keeping the public informed about the challenges, achievements and prospects of the defence sector.
He recalled that during his tenure as Chief of Army Staff, the Nigerian Army deliberately strengthened its relationship with the media by allowing defence correspondents to accompany troops to operational theatres.
According to him, the initiative was partly designed to counter the propaganda machinery of Boko Haram insurgents, who used information to propagate their ideology, demoralise citizens and undermine the morale of troops.
“The terrorists, insurgents, use media, use information very strongly to propagate their ideas, to demoralize the citizens and even demoralize the military and the best way to counter it, as we did, was to carry the press along and they report right on the scene,” Buratai said.
He recalled an operation in which journalists accompanied a military convoy advancing towards Gamboru Ngala after troops had cleared Mafa and Dikwa.
According to him, the convoy was ambushed while advancing, resulting in the death of one soldier and injuries to a general and another soldier.
Buratai said the incident was reported live, enabling the military and the media to provide first-hand accounts of the operation and counter the propaganda narratives being circulated by the insurgents.
“Those issues were reported live, and we now broke the Boko Haram information and media propaganda back, so they could no longer have the monopoly to tell the world, to spread rumours,” he said.
Buratai commended defence correspondents for their role in reporting military and security operations and urged the media and armed forces to sustain their relationship in the interest of national security and development.
Earlier, the President of DECAN, Odita Sunday, said the delegation visited Buratai’s residence to formally notify him of his nomination and invitation to serve as Guest Lecturer at the association’s 2026 annual lecture and awards ceremony.
Odita said Buratai’s wealth of experience in military leadership, national defence and security matters would contribute significantly to discussions on emerging threats and the application of technology and intelligence in modern security operations.
He said the lecture would provide a platform for policymakers, security professionals, journalists, academics and other stakeholders to examine Nigeria’s evolving security environment.
Odita added that the annual lecture and awards ceremony would recognise individuals and institutions whose contributions had advanced national security, defence and responsible journalism in Nigeria.
