…As Idris tasks media on responsible reportage, potential harm

Former Senate President, Senator Ahmed Lawan, has called for budgets of the armed forces and other security agencies to be placed on first‑line charge, saying that predictable funding would strengthen Nigeria’s fight against insurgency, banditry and other forms of criminality.

Speaking during the 3rd Defence Correspondents Association of Nigeria (DECAN) conference on Monday in Abuja, Lawal, who is the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Defence, praised President Bola Tinubu’s administration for increasing resources to the military and other security agencies.

“We may not be where we want to be, but we are making significant progress”, he said, urging Nigerians to recognise the sacrifices of uniformed personnel.

“No matter how much we give them, it may not be enough. But they still try hard to work with that little that we give them. Let us praise them for the sacrifice they have been making for Nigeria”.

The former Senate President commended defence correspondents for keeping citizens informed about the armed forces’ operations, adding that public awareness helps galvanise support for security efforts.

The Senator said he has consistently supported the Executive requests for defence funding. “In my more than 27 years in the National Assembly, I have not seen any request sent by the Executive for the armed forces and other security agencies that has not been approved”, he said,

Lawal stressed that “security is first” and that the protection and welfare of citizens are the essence of government.

He proposed dedicating a percentage of rising national revenues to bulk procurements of platforms and weapons for the military, arguing that adequate equipment is vital if troops are to succeed.

Lawal said that placing defence budgets on first‑line charge would help address delays in budget releases that hinder operational effectiveness.

He urged continued support for the armed forces and cautioning against equating occasional budgetary shortfalls with total insecurity.

“Our armed forces are still working very hard”, he said, noting the progress made and the need to sustain efforts to make the country “far more secure”.

In a message, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, appealed to editors and gatekeepers to weigh public interest against potential harm, reminding journalists that while conflict brings unavoidable collateral damage, the role of the media is to convey those realities responsibly in service of a safer, more secure Nigeria.

In the message delivered by the Director-General of VON, Jibrin Ndace, Idris further urged stronger collaboration between journalists and the military, saying defence reporting requires unique responsibility and close relationships built over time.

“Military officers granting access to information is not a favour to journalists but a contribution to national security. Journalists must use that access responsibly. The relationship between the media and the military is a marriage of convenience requiring constant negotiation over what to disclose and what to withhold, always with the nation’s interest foremost”, Idris said.

The Minister, however, said the relationship must balance the military’s need to withhold sensitive information and the media’s duty to inform the public.

He called on the defence correspondents to help the public understand the reality of conflict, the sacrifices of personnel, and the operational challenges faced by the armed forces.