The Director General and Chief Executive Officer of the Voice of Nigeria (VON), Mallam Jibrin Baba Ndace, has urged Information and Public Relations Officers to recognise the power of their words in shaping national unity, security, and public trust.
Speaking at the opening ceremony of a training workshop for Information and Public Relations Officers organised by the National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC) in Abuja, Ndace said the battle for hearts and minds is as critical as the battle on the frontlines.
“The theme of this workshop, Empowering the Messenger, is not just a slogan; it is a mandate. The credibility, preparedness, and innovation of the messenger determine the power and reach of the message,” he said.
Quoting the National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, Ndace reaffirmed that “responsible journalism/reporting is a national duty,” stressed that information managers are not just spokespersons but “guardians of the public trust.”
He also echoed the NCTC National Coordinator, Major General Adamu Garba Laka, who has emphasised that terrorism knows no borders and that Africa’s safety depends on collaboration, intelligence sharing, and community resilience.
Ndace assured that VON remained committed to working closely with the NCTC and other stakeholders to promote transparent, accurate, and timely information that strengthens public confidence, counters false narratives, and promotes peace and stability.
Citing the Honourable Minister of Information and National Orientation, Alhaji Mohammed Idris, the VON DG reminded participants that “even as you report, you should know that you have a responsibility to keep this country together by saying what you know will promote unity.”
He congratulated the organisers and participants, urged them to leave the training with a renewed sense of purpose, knowing that “every word we speak, every story we tell, and every message we share can be the difference between division and unity, between fear and hope, between vulnerability and resilience.”
