Nigeria Army, VON partner on information gathering

The Nigeria Army has said it will strategically collaborate on information sharing with the Voice of Nigeria (VON), in addressing the prevailing insecurity challenges in the South-East and across Nigeria.

The General officer Commanding (GOC), 82 Division Nigeria Army, Enugu, Major- General Hassan Dada, said this when the Director-General of VON, Mallam Jubril Ndace, paid him a courtesy visit in his office in Enugu on Friday.

Mr Dada said the army would explore ways to leverage VON’s broadcasting capabilities to promote national security, stability and unity by considering the critical role VON played in reshaping narratives.

“This meeting is to touch on joint efforts to combat misinformation and disinformation that threaten national security, with VON’s platform serving as a credible source of information,” he said.

Responding, Mr Ndace highlighted the Nigerian Army’s humanitarian initiatives and peacekeeping efforts, both in Nigeria and the world over.

“Through VON’s broadcasts, we shall showcase the army’s positive impact in curbing insecurity and banditry as well as kidnapping in Nigeria,” Mr Ndace said.

He further reiterated the commitment of VON under his leadership to sustain and improve on the existing partnership with the Military and other security agencies in projecting Nigeria’s image positively.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the significance of the meeting was the discussion on Intelligence sharing, exchange of information on security threats, terrorism, conflict reporting and responsible reporting practices during conflicts.

The discussions are aimed at strengthening the partnership between VON and the Nigerian Army, by promoting national interests, security, and unity.

They equally exchanged ideas on collaborating with international partners to amplify Nigeria’s voice on global issues and promote cultural exchange by exploring areas aimed at Strengthening VON’s role in promoting Nigeria’s interests and values globally.

(NAN)