In a renewed push to rebuild public trust and strengthen national unity, the National Orientation Agency (NOA) and the Nigerian Army have pledged to deepen their strategic collaboration, placing effective communication at the heart of security and nation-building efforts.
The commitment was reaffirmed in Abuja when the Director-General of NOA, Lanre Issa-Onilu, received the Chief of Civil–Military Affairs (Army), Musa Awal Etsu-Ndagi, and his delegation on a courtesy visit to the Agency’s headquarters.
Issa-Onilu praised the Major General’s early outreach to key civil institutions following his late-October appointment, describing it as a strong signal of the Army’s understanding of modern civil–military relations.
He noted that Nigeria’s security challenge extends beyond physical threats to a deeper psychological gap between citizens and the state, worsened by misinformation and the manipulation of ethnic and religious sentiments.
According to the NOA boss, restoring confidence requires more than security operations; it demands disciplined, professional, and evidence-based communication that aligns military actions with citizen engagement.
He recalled past collaborations with the Army’s Civil–Military Affairs Department and reaffirmed NOA’s statutory mandate in policy communication, civic mobilisation, and values reorientation.
Responding, Major General Etsu-Ndagi said the visit was aimed at institutionalising a stronger partnership with NOA, warning that misinformation and divisive narratives—especially on social media—pose a serious threat to national cohesion.
He pledged the Army’s full cooperation in countering false narratives and promoting patriotism, unity, and a shared national identity, conveying the appreciation and support of the Chief of Army Staff.
Both institutions agreed that when security efforts and strategic communication work hand in hand, public trust grows—and without trust, sustainable nationhood remains elusive.
Reporting by Abiola Peters