Buratai said this while speaking with journalists at the media workshop, organised by the Nigerian Army School of Public Relations and Information (NASPRI) at 81 Division Officers’ Mess, Lagos.
Buratai, who was represented by the Chief of Civil-Military Affairs, Maj.-Gen. Peter Boje, assured that the elements would finally be eliminated finally from the battlefield in no time. Buratai, who was also the special guest of honour and speaker, delivered a lecture entitled, ‘’The Utilisation of New Generation Warfare Tactics: Gains and Successes in the North-East Operations’’.
“We are degrading their activities. Most of the areas that were initially occupied by the insurgents have been captured and a lot of them have dispersed. “But again, there are elements of this Boko Haram that are scattered all over the North- East and if you know their characteristics, you will know they operate in small cells.
“So they come out and carry out small attacks and disappear. So, we are making efforts to restrategise, track and finally eliminate them from the battlefield,“ he said. He expressed delight that the military and the media had excellent working relationship, adding that the military at all times would continue to collaborate and exchange information with the media, as required. “We have been very open with the media.
‘’We do not make any negative statement about the Nigerian media and the media are doing very well to the best of my knowledge.’’ Buratai, whose lecture talked about the concept of new generation warfare, challenges and way forward, identified information, psychological and cyber operation as some of the new generation warfare tactics.
He said that the way forward was for every Nigerian to cooperate with the military in providing it with timely information on suspicious activities of individuals or groups in his or her community or locality. Mr Femi Adeshina, Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, urged the military to ensure constant training and retraining of journalists aimed at ensuring better reportage of the military. Adeshina, whose lecture was entitled,’’
The Challenges and Expectations of the Media in Military Operations, called on the military to facilitate scoops for the media.
“The Nigerian Media must work in proactivity,“ he said. While speaking with journalists, Adeshina also reiterated that the Federal Government’ commitment in tackling the insurgency, by going after the sponsors of Boko Haram.
“This government is tackling the issue of insurgency and if it knows the sponsors and it is double sure they are the sponsors, those sponsors will be treated like Boko Haram.“ On the released Chibok girls, Adeshina said the girls were being rehabilitated physically and psychologically.
Earlier, Col. Sanni Usman, Acting Director, Army Public Relations, in his address of welcome said the workshop was a platform where the military and journalists would rub minds and exchange ideas. “We have some commanding officers of units located in the North-East and other parts of the country as participants.
“Their participation in the study period is crucial to the overall success of the Nigerian Army’s Counter Insurgency and Peace Keeping Operation as well as other Internal Security Operations.
“It is our intention to use this forum to implore for more positive coverage of the army’s activities with due observance of the principles of accuracy and security by the media,“ he said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Commanding Officers, Directorate of Army Public Relation Officers (DAPR), journalists and personalities from other sectors are attending the three-day workshop. The workshop is entitled: ‘New Generation Warfare: The Dynamics of Information Management’’.
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