Presidency notifies Nigerians on terror propaganda, seeks media support – Nexus News
The Presidency has implored the media to raise its support for the fight against the use of the internet and social media for terrorist purposes to resolve security challenges in the country.
Malam Garba Shehu, the President’s spokesman made the call in a communique on Sunday in Abuja.
”To help the nation against the ongoing situation, the media must increase their support for the fight against the exploitation of the internet and social media for terrorist purposes,” he said.
Shehu noted that the call had become mandatory in view of the fact that terrorist groups had resulted in to use propaganda to cause more chaos in the country.
According to him, terrorist activity using propaganda and the use of violence to force governments to accede or submit to political requests is not new all over the world.
He, however, said: ”The country’s security and defense forces are not clueless or helpless. They have their plans and ways of doing things that they will not display in the media.
”The dilemmas in dealing with the specific case of train terrorists are manifold: punitive action like the popular call for carpet bombing of the known locations may assuage the desire of an angry public for revenge, but what about the hostages? They have committed no offense. All they did was board a train.
”It suffices to say that the security forces are not relenting. They are acutely aware of their duties, responsibilities, and what the nation expects of them. Whenever they embark upon those actions, they expect that the public should provide them with the needed support.”
According to him, banditry is a global crisis that must be countered by all actors- the military, the civilian population, and the communication service issuers.
He also stated that this remains the only way safe atmosphere for terrorists are eliminated in every regions of the world.
”The Presidency, in the meantime, wishes to reassure the public that the President has done all, and even more than what is expected of him as Commander-in-Chief by way of morale, material and equipment support to the military and expects nothing short of good results in the immediate,” he said.
