The Director General of the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN), Dr. Mohammed Bulama, has said that Nigerians are running out of patience over the continued killings across the country.
He urged the military and other security agencies to take urgent steps to end the violence and restore peace.
Dr. Bulama made the call during the Defence Headquarters’ Psychological Operations Workshop, themed: “Defence Headquarters Influence Operations: Optimizing Psychological Operations for Efficiency in a Joint Environment.”
He expressed hope that ideas and solutions from the workshop would help bring lasting peace and stability. Bulama noted that Nigeria has faced serious security challenges over the past decade, and while the threats are difficult, he believes in the ability of the Nigerian Armed Forces and other security agencies to defeat them.
According to him, the progress made in different conflict zones across the country is proof of the military’s capabilities. He added that the Armed Forces have never been more committed to restoring peace since the civil war.
“We understand that our military is overworked and stretched thin, but despite that, they continue to do a commendable job,” he said. “They have done and are still doing a lot to fight insecurity, even with limited resources.”
Bulama praised the military’s efforts but urged them to speed up their response to the country’s security challenges. He said Nigerians want immediate and effective solutions, not just long-term plans.
“Nigerians can no longer endure more killings. We need timely and practical actions to show that the government is serious about protecting lives and property in every part of the country,” he emphasized.
He acknowledged that the federal government has shown strong political will to fight insecurity. This includes the purchase and deployment of new weapons, meetings between the President and top security officials, and increased funding for security efforts.
Bulama also stressed the need to use modern tools like artificial intelligence, social media, and data analysis to counter radicalisation, win public support in conflict areas, and fight misinformation.
In his remarks, the Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, said the workshop was timely due to the changing nature of modern warfare and the growing importance of influencing public perception and behavior.
He pointed out that recent security challenges have tested both the people’s resilience and the capacity of security agencies. He said violent groups have used fear and chaos to threaten national unity.
General Musa explained that the fight against insecurity cannot rely only on military force. The evolving and unconventional nature of the threats requires a mix of military actions and non-violent strategies like psychological operations.
“With recent changes in command across different operations, we expect new approaches to further weaken the terrorists’ ability to launch attacks,” he said. “We are determined to go after all those threatening our peace. At the same time, we must use non-violent methods to support our military efforts and influence the public positively.”
He concluded by calling on all stakeholders to work together in finding lasting solutions to Nigeria’s security problems.
