By Ankeli Emmanuel, Sokoto
Effective collaboration with media is very sacrosanct as they help inform, educate and promote security as well as build and restore trust, Major General, Bemgha Koughna has said.
Major General Koughna, who is the General Officer Commanding (GOC) 8 Division, Nigeria Army, Sokoto said the media sets agenda, and shapes public understanding of security operations, hence the need for truth and verified reportage.
While appealing to media practitioners to always verify information with relevant authorities before going public, Maj. Gen. Kaughna stressed that timely and accurate information dissemination is equally vital in countering misinformation and sustaining peace.
Addressing the leaders of the Sokoto State Correspondents’ Chapel who paid a courtesy visit on him at the 8 Div. Headquarters, the GOC said he would have hosted the media since assumption of office few months ago, but couldn’t because of the exigencies of work.
“I want to assure you that this Division, under my watch, is ready to have strong collaboration with journalists, especially the Correspondents’ Chapel.”
The visibly elated highly respected General, further assured that the 8. Division under his watch remains committed to maintaining open lines of communication and fostering professional working relationship with journalists in the state.
Speaking earlier in his remarks, Chairman of the Correspondents’ Chapel, Ankeli Emmanuel, congratulated the GOC on his appointment, adding that members of the Chapel who report for National and International news platform are ready to work closely with the Division for the attainment of a safer society.
Ankeli, who appealed to journalists to starve bad elements and enemies of the country of publicity by not featuring their nefarious acts, added that, featuring their beastly acts gives them the oxygen to thrive.
According to Ankeli, Nigerians of different religious beliefs should continue to pray for, and appreciate the country’s security agencies for their tireless sacrifices, saying, they stay awake and at alert so that others can sleep.
He further appealed for strengthened civil-military relations, saying, that seamless communication between journalists and the military
is crucial for the dissemination of balanced and factual reportage of their activities.
