Army pledges harmonious working relationship with journalists in Taraba
Jethro Yerga, Jalingo
The 6 Brigade Command, Nigerian Army Jalingo, has pledged to work harmoniously with journalists in Taraba State to ensure that they free the state from criminal elements; to allow citizens go to bed with their eyes closed.
The 6 Brigade Commander, Nigeria Army, Brigadier General Kingsley C. Uwa made the pledge Tuesday, when officials of the Nigeria Union of Journalists NUJ, Taraba State Council, paid him a courtesy visit in his office in Jalingo.
Brig. Gen Kingsley stated that journalists play a vital and very crucial role of informing, educating and maintenance of World peace in the country and there was every need for the military and other security agencies to establish a harmonious working relationship with them in order to enhance the fight against criminal elements in the state.
Describing security matters as everybody’s business which requires collaborative effort to overcome, the Brigade Commander called on journalists in the state to always verify sources of their information at all times before publishing their stories, especially that security situations are very sensitive issues.
He however, commended journalists in the state for always giving accurate and balanced report of issues in the state and encouraged them to sustain the tempo as they go about discharging their responsibilities.
Brig. Uwa particularly identified the recent attack on a bus at Saso Village, Donga Local Government Area, where journalists provided them with accurate information of what transpired through their reports, noting that, the reports enabled them to swing into action and they were able to rescue some kidnapped victims.
He reiterated the command’s readiness to partner with sister agencies to fight criminality in the state, emphasizing that the role of maintaining security any where was a collective effort which must not be left in the hands of the military officers alone.
“We must continue to work together with other sister agencies, traditional leaders, stakeholders and you journalists before we can gain effective and appreciable results. Security of lives and property is not one man’s business. All hands must be on deck when it comes to maintaining security in a state.
“I want to assure you that our doors are always open for Journalists seeking clarifications or any information concerning the command and its operations”. He stated.
Earlier in his speech, the chairman, Nigeria Union of Journalists, Comr. Mathew Eliud Jen said the leadership of men of the pen profession, Taraba State Council, was at the 6 Brigade Command to strengthen the synergy between Nigeria Army and the working Journalists in the state for proper information dissemination to the citizens.
Comr. Eliud lauded the Nigeria Army in the state for its resilience and doggedness towards restoration of relative peace being enjoyed in the state and called for a minute’s silence in honour of the military officers who paid their supreme prizes recently in Delta State.
While emphasizing that Army and Nigeria Journalists are critical partners in progress, especially in terms of peace building and promoting unity among the citizens, Comr. Eliud appealed to the Brigade commander to organize a one day workshop for journalists in the state to equipped them with the needed information required of them as they cover military activities in the state.
He frowned at arm chair journalism system being practiced by some journalists in the state and pledged that his leadership would work assiduously towards ensuring that erring and fake journalists in the state continue to receive appropriate disciplinary measures.
