The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has called on the Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) to stop using the media to disseminate falsehood.
Acting Director Defence Information, Brig-Gen. Tukur Gusau, in a statement issued on Monday, February 5th reacted to a statement credited to HURIWA faulting the formation of a Fact-Finding Team tasked to elicit practical workable solutions to the prolonged crisis in some parts of Nigeria, Plateau State inclusive.
He said the Fact-Finding Team headed by an experienced retired senior military officer was constituted by the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Christopher Musa, following the deployment of military hardwares including highly trained intelligence personnel and special forces to troubled areas of the State to ensure perpetrators of dastardly attacks are brought to justice.
Gusau noted that consequent upon this, the Chief of Army Staff Lieutenant General Taoreed Lagbaja visited Plateau State on 27 January, 2024 and gave the troops specific orders to deal decisively with those fermenting troubles leading to loss of lives and properties.
He added that recently, numerous intelligence-driven operations have been conducted leading to the arrest of key suspects who are currently undergoing interrogation.
Gusau stressed that it was therefore pertinent to note that the team was constituted as part of the non-kinetic approach of the DHQ in resolving the situation.
He added that the team’s responsibility spreads across troubled areas in the country and not limited to Plateau State alone.
Gusau noted: “The DHQ calls on HURIWA being one of the respected human rights group to cultivate the habit of seeking credible information on issues especially as it concerns National Security before approaching the media.
“It is evident the group was ill-informed and could not spend time researching on efforts the military had made to restore normalcy in troubled areas of the country.”
“The DHQ would have naturally overlooked the ignorance of HURIWA on this matter, but finds it necessary to educate civil society organizations on the responsible use of the media not to disseminate falsehoods and create tension where none exists.”
The DHQ, therefore, advised HURIWA to henceforth be passionate to seek adequate information on issues of national importance and stop misleading the public deliberately.
It warned that it would take strong legal action should such a mistake repeat itself.