By Nkechi Eze
The Permanent Secretary, General Services Office of the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Dr Abubakar Ibrahim Kana, has urged defence correspondents to give greater prominence to the achievements and sacrifices of Nigerian troops in their coverage of the country’s security operations.
Kana, a former Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Defence, made the call on Tuesday in Abuja when he received the leadership of the Defence Correspondents Association of Nigeria (DECAN) ahead of the association’s annual conference scheduled for Monday at the Army Officers’ Mess 1, Asokoro, Abuja.
He urged journalists covering military operations to provide balanced reports that reflect both the challenges confronting the Armed Forces and the successes recorded by troops in the field.
Kana said defence correspondents who had accompanied troops to operational theatres had witnessed first-hand the difficult conditions under which personnel operate and should reflect such experiences in their reports.
“Unlike in the past where journalists report 50 soldiers killed, one soldier beheaded, but you did not report that 1,000 bandits were killed. That should be the news,” he said.
He stressed that the security challenges facing the country were not caused by the Armed Forces, noting that military personnel had continued to make sacrifices in the fight against banditry, insurgency and other threats.
“You have also come to realise that you are with the Armed Forces. They are working. So why should we report negative about our country? The banditry, the insurgency, whatever that we are having—is it the fault of the Armed Forces? No. But the Armed Forces have sacrificed,” Kana said.
The former defence permanent secretary commended DECAN for what he described as improved reporting of military operations, adding that journalists who had visited the battlefield were better positioned to appreciate the commitment and sacrifices of troops.
“You have seen life. You have followed them to the war front. You have seen that these guys actually work day and night. The least we can do for them is appreciation,” he said.
Kana also commended the Armed Forces for supporting defence correspondents and granting them access to operational areas, saying such access had helped journalists develop a better understanding of military operations.
Reflecting on his three-year tenure at the Ministry of Defence, Kana said his open-door policy enabled him to maintain close relationships with military personnel, civilian staff and journalists.
He also highlighted several reforms and infrastructure projects undertaken during his tenure, including the installation of reverse osmosis machines and water dispensers, renovation of facilities, construction and equipping of a new hospital, and expansion of the dental unit.
Kana further disclosed that he initiated plans to harmonise the medical services of the Nigerian Army, Nigerian Navy and Nigerian Air Force into a single Armed Forces Medical Corps to improve access to specialised healthcare.
He said the proposal included establishing a medical college under the Nigerian Defence Academy, with the 44 Nigerian Army Reference Hospital, Kaduna, developed as a teaching hospital.
He added that efforts were also made to expand local defence manufacturing by encouraging private-sector participation beyond Kaduna through the proposed review of the Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria Act.
Earlier, DECAN President, Odita Sunday, expressed sadness over the deaths of military personnel and civilians in a helicopter crash on Monday and prayed for the repose of the souls of the victims.
Sunday described Kana as a respected public servant who maintained an open-door policy and supported defence journalism during his tenure at the Ministry of Defence.
He disclosed that more than 100 members of DECAN had voted for Kana to become a patron of the association, with the honour to be formally conferred on him at Monday’s annual conference.
Sunday said the Minister of Defence had confirmed his attendance at the conference, while the National Security Adviser and service chiefs were also expected to attend.
Kana accepted the nomination and thanked the association for the recognition, promising to attend the conference.
