Major-General Chris Olukolade, defence spokesperson for the Nigerian military, has accused the media in Nigeria of deliberately downplaying the military’s progress in fighting Boko Haram.
The MFWA’s correspondent in Nigeria reported that at an Abuja press briefing on March 4, 2015, Major-General Olukolade, said some sections of the Nigerian society and media are “undermining the morale” of the fighting force.
“In a bid to spitefully drown the efforts of our troops, this group of people have been mischievously and exaggeratingly reporting the supportive roles of foreign allies to the detriment of our operational success in the fight against terror,” Olukolade said.
According to MFWA’s correspondent, Olukolade told the media to beware of “mischief and conspiracy by some theorists who are still bent on orchestrating a well-rehearsed smear campaign against the Nigerian military.”
Olukolade also accused the foreign media of collaborating with the local media to produce bad reportage on the Nigerian military.
“The antics of some foreign media and their local collaborators who will stop at nothing to bring the Nigerian military to disrepute is no longer new or unusual,” Olukolade said. “The Nigerian military will not be distracted or detracted from the current momentum which is geared towards stamping out terrorism not only in Nigeria but in the entire sub-region.”
