By Ochiaka Ugwu
The National Coordinator, National Counter Terrorism Centre, Office of the National Security Adviser, Maj-Gen. Garba Laka has urged media practitioners to effectively use their mediums of communication to promote mutual trust, build unity among Nigerians and adequately counter the destructive ideologies and narratives of terrorist groups.
Gen. Laka who made this known Wednesday at the meeting with media executives and editors in Abuja said the Centre counts on media’s support and cooperation as the last gatekeepers given the fact that contents were often published by their (Editors) consent.
According him, “As media chiefs, there is no doubt that you are better informed than members of any other industries or professions of the happenings in and around the world; and, among these happenings, are what we termed wicked problems, with which the world is being bedeviled with – terrorism is a global problem. Since the rise of the Boko Haram insurgency in Northeastern Nigeria.
“In 2009, the country’s insecurity was exacerbated by terrorism, violent extremism and other forms of organised crimes.
“As you are already aware, National Security is all-encompassing and requires a Whole-of-Society Approach.
“Therefore, security matters are not only confined to the military, police, intelligence and other law enforcement agencies as many people assume. Issues of National Security have both military and non-military dimensions. “It incorporates the military, border, geostrategic, demographic, cyber, resource, information and many areas relating to socioeconomic matters. This is the more reason we engage kinetic, non-kinetic and other generally accepted means in the efforts to resolving the security challenges confronting the country.
