By Nkechi Eze
The Defence Headquarters has organized a strategic workshop on Psychological Operations to bolster non-kinetic efforts in addressing Nigeria’s evolving security challenges. The high-level event, held in Abuja, was declared open by the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Christopher Gwabin Musa, who underscored the critical role of psychological operations in modern military engagements.
Themed “Defence Headquarters Influence Operations: Optimizing Psychological Operations for Efficiency within a Joint Environment,” the 2025 workshop brought together top military brass, communication experts, psychologists, and strategic stakeholders.
In his opening remarks, General Musa emphasized that psychological operations are essential for influencing perceptions and countering misinformation particularly amid growing threats from non-state actors and insurgents.
“This workshop comes at a time when the country is battling complex and asymmetric threats. The use of psychological motivation enhances operational effectiveness and reinforces our national security framework,” the CDS stated.
General Musa also highlighted the importance of winning the trust of local communities and called for joint and collaborative action among all security and communication stakeholders. He reiterated that the Armed Forces remain committed to confronting terrorists and their enablers using both kinetic force and strategic influence tools to win public confidence.
Delivering a goodwill message, the special guest of Honour, Director-General of Radio Nigeria, Dr. Mohammed Bulama, hailed the workshop as timely and necessary. He lauded the Armed Forces for their resilience and stressed the need for intensified psychological operations to confront misinformation and radical ideologies.
“Psychological operations are key to confronting misinformation, radical ideologies, and the mental warfare used by insurgents,” he said, citing global examples from Iraq, Afghanistan, and post-genocide Rwanda.
Dr. Bulama called for strategic partnerships with media, civil society, and faith-based organizations to help reframe narratives in favor of national security and unity.
Also, Retired Major General Letam Wiwa while delivering the keynote address, brought decades of military intelligence experience to bear, stressing that psychological operations must be coordinated at the highest level of military command.
“Victory today is not just measured in territories gained, but in hearts won, perceptions shaped, and narratives controlled,” he remarked.
He described modern warfare as a “battle of the mind,” citing artificial intelligence-generated misinformation and the strategic use of media by insurgents. He recalled his time at Defence Headquarters and commended the Army for institutionalizing psychological operations as a strategic domain. He emphasized intelligence-led messaging, cultural competence, rapid response, morale-boosting initiatives, and outcome assessment as pillars of effective influence operations.
Major General Wiwa also shared lessons from global military campaigns and urged that psychological operations officers be properly trained, mentally supported, and integrated across all branches of the military. He advocated for influence strategies that are timely, data-driven, and aligned with both local realities and international standards.
In another goodwill message, Commander of the Nigerian Army Cyber Warfare Command, Major General Adeleke Ayannuga, stressed that psychological operations must adapt to today’s digital battlespace.
“The contemporary battlefield is no longer confined to the physical domains,” he said. “Social media and artificial intelligence are reshaping the information ecosystem a space where perceptions are influenced and decisions are made.”
Major General Ayannuga underscored the synergy between cyber warfare, information operations, and psychological campaigns. He noted that optimizing such operations within a joint environment is critical for strategic success. He applauded the CDS for his forward-thinking leadership and urged participants to explore innovative strategies that will enhance inter-service collaboration.
The aim of the workshop is to build capacity, foster inter-agency synergy, and explore data-driven strategies to counter radical ideologies, misinformation, and psychological warfare.
All speakers agreed that psychological operations should no longer be treated as auxiliary but rather as a core pillar of Nigeria’s security architecture. The call for a coordinated, agile, and culturally intelligent approach resonated through all contributions, emphasizing that the mind is the ultimate battlefield.
A key highlight of the event was the presentation of commemorative plaques to invited guests and participants, followed by a group photograph session.
