Abuja — The Federal Government has announced plans to embed journalists with military units during selected operations to improve the accuracy of security reporting and strengthen public understanding of counter-insurgency efforts.
The Minister of Defence, General Christopher Gwabin Musa (rtd.), disclosed this on Thursday at a National Security Summit organised by the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) in collaboration with the Department of State Services (DSS) in Abuja.
Represented by his Special Adviser, Rear Admiral Olusanya Bankole (rtd.), the Minister said the Defence Ministry is working out modalities for the initiative, which will allow accredited journalists to observe military operations under strict operational guidelines.
“The Defence Ministry is exploring arrangements to embed journalists with military units during operations to enable more accurate reporting and deeper understanding of operational realities,” he said.
He added that the media remains a critical partner in national security, describing journalists as key contributors to stability and public awareness.
The initiative will focus mainly on counter-insurgency and internal security operations, where firsthand exposure is expected to improve reporting quality while maintaining operational secrecy.
The announcement was made at a two-day summit themed “Media and Security Agencies as Partners in Nation Building,” which brought together media executives, security chiefs, and other stakeholders.
If implemented, the programme would mark a significant shift in civil-military-media relations in Nigeria, aimed at improving transparency, trust, and responsible security reporting.
