At an End-of-Year Media Parley held on Tuesday at the National Counter Terrorism Centre, NCTC, in the Office of the National Security Officer, ONSA, the Nigerian government decried the worrying trend of POS operators being patronized to transfer ransom funds to kidnappers.
National Coordinator of the Centre, Major General Adamu Laka who spoke on behalf of the National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, said efforts are already underway to cut the chain of supply from families of victims to the kidnappers.
Laka called on the Nigerian media to exercise greater responsibility in the handling and dissemination of sensitive security information, warning that premature disclosures could jeopardise national security efforts, while commending the media for its continued partnership and professionalism. “We deeply appreciate your presence and the continued partnership of the media in amplifying accurate information, promoting public understanding, and supporting our collective efforts to safeguard national security,” he told Defence Correspondents gathered at the breifing.
He reassured that the NCTC in collaboration with other security agencies, is tracking and taking down social media accounts of terrorists and their sympathizers, in the interest of “national security”.
He acknowledged the role of journalists in shaping public understanding of security issues but stressed the need for caution in reporting operational and intelligence-related matters, noting that terrorists and criminals often exploit open-source information.
The National Coordinator emphasised that press freedom and national security are complementary, not conflicting, pillars of democracy, and called for sustained dialogue and trust between the media and security agencies.
