By Ochiaka Ugwu
The National Coordinator of National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC) Office of the National Security Adviser, Maj-Gen Adamu Garba Laka has urged newsmen to be sensitive in their reporting in the overriding interest of national security.
He also tasked the media to ensure that reporting was accurate, contextual, and does not inadvertently jeopardize national security objectives.
Gen. Laka, who made this known Tuesday in an End-of-Year Media Parley with newsmen in Abuja urged media practitioners to always decide on what should be reported immediately from what should be handled with caution or deferred in the overriding interest of national security.
According to Laka, “Our appeal, therefore, is not for silence, but for responsibility. Not for restraint in holding institutions accountable, but for discernment in separating what should be reported immediately from what should be handled with caution or deferred in the overriding interest of national security”.
While appreciating newsmen for their continued partnership in amplifying accurate information, promoting public understanding, and supporting collective efforts to safeguard national security, Laka informed the parley was organized to offer an opportunity to reflect on joint efforts, acknowledge the indispensable role of the media within national security architecture, and to reaffirm the principles that will continue to guide media partnership in the year ahead.
His words, “Your reporting has helped shape public understanding of complex security realities, amplified national counterterrorism narratives, and reinforced public confidence in the resolve of government to confront terrorism, violent extremism, and other threats to our national stability.
“At the same time, this parley provides an important platform to reiterate a matter of critical national interest: the need for caution in the handling and dissemination of sensitive security information.
“In an era of instant news cycles, digital virality, and intense competition for breaking stories, the line between public interest and national security imperatives can sometimes become blurred. Operational details, intelligence-led activities, and ongoing investigations are, by their nature, highly sensitive. Premature or detailed disclosure of such information, however well-intentioned, can compromise operations, endanger lives, undermine ongoing efforts, and inadvertently aid adversaries who actively exploit open-source information.
“We believe strongly that national security and press freedom are not opposing forces. Rather, they are complementary pillars of a stable democracy. A well-informed public is essential, but so is the protection of sensitive operational processes that safeguard our citizens and those on the frontline of security”.
