By Vicky Attah, Correspondent
The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Olufemi Oluyede, has described influence operations as an indispensable tool for preventing conflicts, countering misinformation and disinformation, strengthening public trust and building national resilience, urging greater collaboration among stakeholders to promote sustainable peace across Nigeria.
General Oluyede made the call at the Defence Headquarters Psychological Operations Workshop held in Abuja from July 23 to 24, where participants from the Armed Forces, security and intelligence agencies, government institutions, academia, civil society organisations and the media examined strategies for strengthening national resilience through coordinated influence operations.
Speaking on the theme, “Building National Resilience: The Role of Influence Operations in Conflict Prevention and Stabilization,” the CDS said the workshop was timely and significant, noting that influence operations have become critical to addressing the root causes of conflict while fostering peaceful coexistence.
Represented by the Chief of Defence Training, Rear Admiral Abolade Ogunleye, General Oluyede reaffirmed the Armed Forces of Nigeria’s (AFN) commitment to leveraging psychological and influence operations as strategic instruments for conflict prevention, national stabilization and sustainable peace.
He stressed that building national resilience requires a coordinated whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach involving government institutions, security agencies, traditional and religious leaders, civil society organisations, the media and local communities.
The Director General of the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), Dr. Salihu Abdulhamid Dembos, represented by the Director of News, Hajiya Halima Musa, said strategic communication remains vital to countering hostile narratives and safeguarding national unity.
In his keynote address, the Director General of the Voice of Nigeria (VON), Mallam Jibrin Baba Ndace, said sustainable peace depends on credible communication, public engagement and collaboration among stakeholders. He noted that influence operations remain critical to promoting trust, national cohesion and resilience.
At the end of the two-day workshop, participants adopted key recommendations aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s national resilience through enhanced strategic communication and coordinated influence operations.
The participants called for deeper interagency collaboration, institutional capacity building, improved public engagement and the integration of influence operations into national conflict prevention and stabilization efforts.
The workshop closed with participants pledging to sustain collaboration in countering misinformation, preventing violent extremism, strengthening public confidence in state institutions and promoting lasting peace, unity and national development across Nigeria.
