ABIA SEMINAR: USE YOUR MEDIUM TO PROMOTE PEACE & UNITY — ARMY BEGS JOURNALISTS

REPORTER: PEACE AGBO

The 33rd edition of Nigerian Army Social Media seminar organized in Aba for over 200 Media Practitioners and Social Media Influencers has ended with a call to use social media space responsibly to promote peace and unity of Nigeria.

The Chief Civil-Military Affairs of the Nigerian Army Headquarters, Major-General Nusa Ugbo who made the call at the seminar in Aba, state said the aim was to combat the spiteful influence of fake news, hate speeches and divisive content spread through the social media.

Represented by the Director of Psychological Operations at the headquarters, Brigadier-General Bola Keji, Major General Ugbo explained that gathering was the key part of the Army’s outreach and engagement strategy to inform and educate the public about her efforts to maintain peace and security.

According to Major Gen. Ugbo, the programme also offers opportunity to improved harmonious Army- Civilian relationship to better the lots of ordinary Nigerians.

He pointed out that the social media could fortify or undermine the quest for peace and the safeguarding of Nigeria’s national interest.

He noted that the Army sought to empower social media users, especially the youth across the nation, whose voices amplified through various social media platforms, could shape opinions.

In a remark, the General Officer Commanding (GOC) 82 Division of the Nigeria Army, Enugu, Major General Hassan Dada, charged Nigerians to look at the positive side of the military in its efforts to ensure security in the country.

Earlier in a separate paper presentation, entitled “curtailing negative content on social media: responsibilities of users’ and fake News on Social Media and its effects on national security,” Dr. Ehiz Idigie and Professor Uzoma Ogbonna, urged the participants to put into practice all they had learnt and to shun the habit of creating choas.

In his contribution, a Popular Nollywood Actor, Osita Iheme, also known as Pawpaw, emphasized the importance of social media and stressed the need for positive contents.

Some of the participants, Miss Amarachi Uche, Imeremba Imeremba and Mr. Enyinnaya Solomon, described the seminar as a commendable programme and thanked the Nigerian Army for her effort tackling insecurity.

The theme for the seminar is ‘Enhancing National Security Through The Responsible Use Of Social Media.”

EDITED BY CHUKWUBUIKE MADU