Army Tasks Politicians On Democratic Culture

The Chief of Defence Intelligence (CDI), Maj-Gen Sani Audu,  has urged Nigerians to evolve more positive attitude to democracy, so as to nurture it to maturity.

Audu gave the charge at the graduation ceremony of participants of “Psychological Operations Course and National Security Training Seminar’’ yesterday in Abuja.

Audu, who was represented by Rear Adm. Ogbuemi Emele, the Director of Logistics at the Defence Intelligence Agency said that the democratic process in Nigeria was still in its infancy.

According to him, Nigerians must work collectively to nurture the process to maturity.

The CDI also said the military had the responsibility to be part of the process of nurturing the democratic system, to ensure its sustenance in the country.

“It is the responsibility of the military to educate, persuade and encourage the populace to understand their responsibility within the democratic setting.

“The populace must show correct attitude and behaviour in sustaining our values. The populace must also be guided to evolve this correct attitude and to adopt and uphold best cultural values,’’ he said.

He said that there was need to educate the public given the country’s present security challenges.

Audu noted that the objective of the course was to ensure the exhibition of particular behaviours in accordance with defined national interest.

He stated that the course was also aimed at achieving harmony and understanding between the various agencies in the defence and security sector.

“The course provides an appropriate platform for articulating doctrines for cooperation among the various services.

“Psychological operations in today’s world cannot be conducted successfully by a single agency. It is a multi-agency, you are to spread this philosophy in the interest of the Nigerian nation,’’ he said.

Also speaking, Commodore Olatunji Olawumi, Commandant of Defence Intelligence Agency Training School, said that the course was specially designed for officers in the defence and security sector.

“The rationale for this is that national strategy is incomplete without tapping into effective utilisation of the psychological instrument.

“The package of the course content and the spread of participants reflect the reality that psychological operation is not a single agency activity,’’ he said.

Our correspondent  reports that the event was attended by about 51 participants drawn from the Army, Navy, Air Force, DIA, NDLEA, Police, Immigration, ICPC and related Ministries, Departments and Agencies.