There are many fifth columnists in armed
forces – CDS

October 08, 2014
 Vanguard News

The Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal
Alex Badeh, said on Wednesday there were
“fifth columnists’’ in the armed forces leading
to conflicting information emanating from the
military.
Badeh made the allegation in Abuja, while
reacting to some presentations at the start of a
three-day workshop on “Security/Media
Relations in Crisis Management’’.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports
that the retreat was organised by the Office of
National Security Adviser in conjunction with
Trim Communications Nig. Ltd.
“If your people are misleading you, what do
you do? There are too many fifth columnists.
“There was a report which says oh, we have
seen some of the Chibok girls, only eight are
missing, it was a very senior officer that gave
that information from Chibok area.
“We are dealing with that situation. That was
when people started saying watch what Maj.-
Gen. Olukolade, the Director, of Defence
Information says. He was misled by one of
us,’’ Badeh said.
Badeh urged journalists to be guided by
national interest while reporting the ongoing
counter-insurgency operations in the North
east.
Badeh advised that although they might know
many things concerning the operations but
they should not report things that would hurt
or create panic in the people.
Asked to assess the performance of the media
so far, he said, “I would not say it has been
what we are looking for.
“Because without pointing accusing fingers,
some newspapers celebrate when anything
bad happens to this country.
“They really celebrate it, maybe because of
politics. President Jonathan cannot be doing
everything.
“When an institution has small problem, you
do not go and say the president has failed,’’
he said, adding that journalists should
endeavour to verify their report before
publishing.
“If you know how many condolence messages
I have received that my house is burnt, that
my whole village has been burnt; but no Boko
Haram has gone to my village.
“I do not know whether it is me they want to
bring down or the president that they want to
bring down, that is the media for you.’’ he
said.
Also, the National Security Adviser (NSA),
retired Col. Sambo Dasuki, urged the media to
be diligent in their reportage of the operations.
He said that the country was facing
“significant security challenge’’.
Represented by Prof. Soji Adelaja of the NSA
Office, he said that terrorism was new to the
nation and cautioned against reports and
pictures that could affect the image of the
country.
The chairman of the occasion, retired Gen.
Martin Luther Agwai, said that there was need
for the media and security agencies to partner
in handling the current situation.