DHQ takes peace, security campaign to Adamawa community, preaches patriotism

By Sumaila Ogbaje

The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) on Thursday, embarked on a military diplomacy campaign to Yola South Local Government Area of Adamawa to sensitise the people on promotion of peace, security and patriotism.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the campaign, being the maiden edition, was being conducted by the Directorate of Defence Media Operations to different parts of the country.

Addressing the audience at the Shagari Primary School premises in Yola, the DHQ Team Lead, Commander Godwin Egbunu, said the campaign was organised to also appreciate the people for their cooperation.

Egbunu said the campaign was an initiative of the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Gen. Christopher Musa, to encourage continued collaboration between the military and its host communities.

He said it was a way of reaching out to communities to encourage them to come out and share credible intelligence to support the ongoing military operations nationwide.

“Part of our message is for the youths and community members to desist from joining or being lured into criminal groups, cult groups, kidnapping gangs, and all other things that will bring about negative vices.

“We want to ensure that communities live at peace with one another, avoiding communal clashes.

“Wherever there are controversies, they should reach out to the nearest military unit to air their grievances so that the military can step in to avoid skirmishes.

“Also, we want to encourage you not to see the military as enemies but to see the military as partners and uphold the trust.

“The military is your military, so they should love the military, embrace the military, and be friendly with the military,” he said.

Egbunu urged the people to also exhibit spirit of patriotism, orderliness and attitudinal change to ensure peace and security in their communities.

He also urged parents to observe their children, know how they live outside homes to be able to know when they begin to engage in negative activities.

He also urged them to always volunteer useful information to the military and other security agencies as well as avoid taking laws into their hands, adding that self defence does not mean killing another person.

The military officer also warned about the danger of fake news caused by the use of social media, saying that fake news had a negative impact on peace and security in the society.

He urged them to always rely on traditional media outlets like TV and radio stations to get authentic news or contact the nearest military formation to verify whatever information they had.

According to him, the military is not only about fighting, the military is also engaged in several non-kinetic efforts like medical outreaches, educational support and provision of essential amenities like boreholes.

He urged the people to be bold to relay whatever negative experience they might have had with the military in the past.

The Commander 23 Brigade Yola, Brig.-Gen. Paul Zawaya, represented by the Brigade’s Intelligence Officer, Lt.-Col. Felix Ayeni, commended the people for their cooperation with the military in tackling insecurity in the state.

He said the successes recorded by Operation Farauta in the state was as a result of the support of the government and people of the state.

He pledged to sustain the operation to ensure that Adamawa remained safe and secured.

The Chairman, Yola South Local Government Area, Salihu Malkohi, represented by the Director of Media and Public Affairs, Aliyu Isah, thanked the CDS for the initiative and thanked the military for the good job being done in the state.

Malkohi said the local government had remained committed to supporting the military and other security agencies in ensuring peace and security in their communities.

He said the security being enjoyed in the local government had attracted an influx of people to the local government and attracted development and economic opportunities.

He solicited for more military presence in Adamawa, saying that were ready to give more land for more military barracks in the state.

Some of the community leaders who spoke with NAN commended the CDS for the military diplomacy campaign initiative, saying it would boost their confidence that they had a military that they could be proud of.

They called for frequent engagement of such nature to enable them to see the military as their partners and not oppressors.

Mr Darius Susarumso, a civil servant, said the engagement had painted a different picture of the military in the minds of the people.

He urged the military to take such campaigns to all parts of the country, especially the crisis affected areas, to be able to win the support of the people for their operations. (NAN) (www.nannewsng)