The Defence Headquarters has elevated collaboration with defence journalists into a strategic pillar of its campaign against misinformation, disinformation and hostile propaganda, underscoring the growing role of information credibility in Nigeria's national security architecture.
Desk: Defence & Strategic Communication
Date: Tuesday, 30 June 2026
Time: 6:30 PM WAT
Location: Abuja, Nigeria
The position emerged during a meeting between the Director of Defence Media Operations, Major General Michael Onoja, and the newly elected leadership of the Defence Correspondents' Association of Nigeria (DECAN), led by its President, Sunday Odita, as contained in a statement issued by the association's Public Relations Officer, Mathew Abi, following a courtesy visit to the Directorate in Abuja.
Major General Onoja reaffirmed the Directorate's commitment to transparency, assuring defence correspondents that it would continue operating an open-door policy that encourages journalists to seek clarification on defence matters whenever questions arise. He, however, explained that operational security considerations sometimes require the temporary withholding of sensitive information until disclosure no longer poses risks to ongoing military activities.
Within the Defence Headquarters' assessment, media operations have become an integral line of modern military campaigns, extending beyond public communication to shaping public perception, countering false narratives and sustaining confidence in the Armed Forces of Nigeria. He stressed that closer institutional collaboration with professional journalists remains essential to ensuring verified and factual information reaches the public.
The Director of Defence Media Operations also expressed concern over the growing influence of misinformation, disinformation and hostile propaganda, particularly across social media platforms, warning that false narratives increasingly complicate the information environment surrounding military operations. He described the media as strategic partners rather than adversaries, noting that stronger cooperation would enhance efforts to counter deliberate distortion and improve public understanding of defence activities.
He further urged journalists to ensure their reporting promotes national security and social cohesion, maintaining that responsible journalism should inform citizens without aggravating existing national tensions. Major General Onoja also conveyed the appreciation of the Chief of Defence Staff, General Olufemi Oluyede, for the professionalism of defence correspondents and reaffirmed the Defence Headquarters' readiness to receive constructive suggestions that strengthen civil-military communication.
Speaking on behalf of the association, DECAN President Sunday Odita described the relationship between defence correspondents and the Defence Headquarters as a strategic partnership that complements military operations by providing accurate, balanced and responsible reporting capable of strengthening public confidence in the Armed Forces.
Odita commended the Directorate of Defence Media Operations for sustaining an inclusive engagement policy, particularly through operational visits that enabled more than 100 defence correspondents to observe military operations firsthand earlier this year. According to him, the experience significantly improved the depth, credibility and accuracy of defence reporting.
The DECAN President also advocated more regular operational briefings to improve information flow and reduce opportunities for misinformation and hostile propaganda. He disclosed that the association is concluding work on The Defence Correspondent, an official publication intended to document the activities of the Defence Headquarters, the Armed Forces and other defence institutions, while appealing for the establishment of a dedicated Defence Correspondents' Press Centre to strengthen media coordination and civil-military engagement.
Rather than ending with the courtesy visit itself, the engagement reflected a broader convergence between military information managers and defence journalists around a shared objective: protecting the credibility of public information as an increasingly important component of Nigeria's national security effort.
🏷️ Tags: Defence Headquarters, Defence Media Operations, DECAN, Michael Onoja, Sunday Odita, Strategic Communication, Defence Media, Misinformation, Disinformation, Hostile Propaganda, National Security, Defence & Strategic Communication, Zig Press
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