Buratai Urges Media-Security Partnership Built on Scrutiny

 

By Atlantic Reports

Former Chief of Army Staff, retired Lieutenant-General Tukur Buratai, has called for stronger collaboration between journalists and security agencies, saying the relationship must accommodate scrutiny, including reporting on operational failures and allegations of misconduct.

Buratai spoke on Monday in Abuja while delivering the keynote lecture at the Defence Correspondents Association of Nigeria (DECAN) Conference and Awards Ceremony.

The conference examined “Beyond Kinetic Warfare: Harnessing Technology and Intelligence-Led Operations for Nigeria’s National Security”.

He described professional defence reporting as important to public understanding of military operations and efforts to counter terrorist propaganda. However, he said cooperation should extend beyond communicating military successes.

“Some reports were uncomfortable. Some were contested. But they were part of the deal. We had invited scrutiny, and scrutiny is the price of credibility,” he said.

Access and Accountability

Reflecting on military operations in the North-East, Buratai said embedded journalism helped narrow the information gap between troops and the public by allowing correspondents to accompany military personnel and experience the dangers of operations.

“Journalists who accompanied troops gained first-hand insight into the challenges faced by military personnel and the realities of operations,” he said.

According to him, their reporting documented liberated communities, recovered weapons, surrenders and reconstruction efforts, helping challenge insurgents’ claims of invincibility.

He also said independent reporting from conflict zones exposed abuses by armed groups and brought victims’ experiences to wider public attention.

Buratai acknowledged that journalists had reported logistical problems, operational deficiencies and allegations of misconduct alongside military achievements.

“The embedded model is not a one-way street,” he said.

His remarks placed accountability within the proposed partnership. Access to troops and operational information can inform reporting, but the credibility of that reporting depends on journalists retaining the freedom to examine official claims and present evidence of shortcomings.

Training Against Disinformation

Buratai urged DECAN to work with Defence Headquarters and the Office of the National Security Adviser to organise regular training for defence correspondents.

He said the programmes should strengthen journalists’ ability to verify information, recognise disinformation and report responsibly as artificial intelligence and rapidly circulating online content complicate the information environment.

He also called on security agencies to improve their media liaison arrangements and release accurate, verifiable information promptly during security incidents.

“The goal is not to control information, but to ensure timely, accurate, verifiable information that is faster than false information,” he said.

For communities affected by insecurity, the practical value of such communication lies in receiving reliable accounts of incidents and responses. Timely statements also give journalists information they can test, clarify and place alongside other evidence.

Buratai said professional relations between the media and security agencies should rest on trust, openness, mutual respect and commitment to the public interest, while preserving journalists’ responsibility to scrutinise those in authority.

The proposed training remained a recommendation. His remarks did not specify a timetable, funding arrangements or safeguards for editorial independence.

The conference also featured the launch of DECAN’s maiden magazine, The Defence Correspondent, intended to strengthen professional defence reporting and public understanding of national security issues.

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