Defence Reporters Must Highlight Troops’ Sacrifices, Successes – Kana
Permanent Secretary, General Services Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Dr Abubakar Ibrahim Kana, has urged defence correspondents to give fuller accounts of the successes, sacrifices and difficult conditions of Nigerian troops in their reporting.
Kana said journalists who accompany troops to operational theatres have a responsibility to reflect the realities they witness on the battlefield, rather than focusing solely on military casualties.
He made the call on Tuesday in Abuja when the leadership of the Defence Correspondents Association of Nigeria (DECAN) paid him a visit ahead of its annual conference scheduled for next Monday at the Army Officers’ Mess 1, Asokoro.
The former Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Defence said defence correspondents had seen first-hand the conditions under which troops operate and should ensure their reports acknowledge both the challenges and achievements of the Armed Forces.
“Unlike in the past when journalists report 50 soldiers killed, one soldier beheaded, but you did not report that 1,000 bandits were killed. That should be the news,” Kana said.
He stressed that insecurity was not created by the Armed Forces, arguing that soldiers should not be blamed for the existence of banditry and insurgency.
“The banditry, the insurgency, whatever that we are having, is it the fault of the Armed Forces? No. But the Armed Forces have sacrificed,” he said.
Kana commended DECAN for what he described as improved coverage of military operations, saying journalists who had visited the frontlines were better placed to appreciate the sacrifices of troops.
He also praised the Armed Forces for providing defence correspondents with access to operational areas and supporting their work.
The former defence permanent secretary used the meeting to highlight reforms undertaken during his three-year tenure at the Ministry of Defence, including improvements to infrastructure, healthcare and military medical services.
Among the initiatives he cited was a proposal to harmonise the medical services of the Army, Navy and Air Force into a single Armed Forces Medical Corps, allowing personnel to access specialised treatment across the three services.
He said the plan included establishing a medical college under the Nigerian Defence Academy, with the 44 Nigerian Army Reference Hospital, Kaduna, serving as a teaching hospital.
Kana said the initiative was also intended to reduce the military’s reliance on short-service medical officers by training its own doctors and other medical personnel.
He further disclosed plans to broaden local defence manufacturing by encouraging private-sector participation beyond Kaduna, following the proposed review of the Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria Act.
Earlier, DECAN President Odita Sunday said the association had unanimously nominated Kana as a patron in recognition of his support for defence journalism and his open-door policy while at the Ministry of Defence.
Sunday said more than 100 members voted for the former permanent secretary, adding that the honour would be formally conferred on him at Monday’s conference.
He also disclosed that the Minister of Defence had confirmed attendance, while the National Security Adviser and service chiefs were expected at the event.
Kana accepted the nomination and thanked DECAN for the recognition, promising to attend the conference.
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