TheCable

The federal government has launched a campaign in support of the military.

Speaking at the launch of the campaign on Thursday in Abuja, Lai Mohammed, minister of information, said the campaign is important because the men and women in the military are risking their lives to protect the country.

Mohammed said those who do not know the sacrifices the soldiers make have made it their past-time to wage a campaign of disinformation against the military, especially in the social media.

“Why are we launching this national campaign in support of the military? Because we believe that the men and women in uniform who are risking all, including making the supreme sacrifice, to keep us safe deserve the support and prayers of all Nigerians, not vilification, insults and other acts that are capable of dampening their morale,” he said,

“And why are we launching the campaign now? Because, as our gallant men and women in uniform clear the remnants of the home-grown insurgency called Boko Haram, they are confronting a fresh crisis, a global insurgency.

“A faction of Boko Haram has aligned with the global terror group, ISIS, to form ISWAP, the Islamic State’s West African Province. In other words, ISIS now has a strong foothold in West Africa – with Nigeria in the forefront of the battle against them.

“With ISIS largely dislodged from Iraq and Syria, there is undoubtedly a flush of fresh fighters and weapons to ISWAP.

“Therefore, our military is fighting a global insurgency, without the kind of global coalition, including the United States, that battled ISIS in Syria and Iraq.”

The minister said doctored pictures and videos purporting to show massive military casualties are demoralising the troops.

“Let me state that those who engage in this act of disinformation are few, and do not represent the majority of Nigerians who appreciate the patriotism and the sacrifice of our gallant troops,” Mohammed said.

“That’s why we are launching this campaign, to mobilize the majority of the good people of Nigerians, irrespective of their political, religious orethnic leanings, to show support for our military.

“It is high time that everybody joined in supporting this global war. It’s not unusual, as a matter of fact it’s usually the practice, that when a country is faced with this kind of challenge, people will sink their differences and work together.

“We also want to enlist the support of the media for this campaign. The media should indeed play the lead role in the campaign.”