The General Officer Commanding (GOC), 81 Division of the Nigerian Army, Maj.-Gen. Babalola Adebayo, has urged defence correspondents to seek clarification from the Army before publishing reports that could be inaccurate or misleading.

Adebayo made the call when members of the Association of Defence Correspondents of Nigeria (ADCON) paid a courtesy visit to the division’s headquarters.

He said a strong working relationship between the military and the media was essential to ensuring accurate and balanced reporting of security operations.

The GOC urged journalists to look beyond isolated incidents and consider the broader security situation when reporting military activities.

According to him, negative reports about security operations often attracted greater public attention and could continue to circulate even after circumstances had changed.

He encouraged defence correspondents to approach the division whenever they required clarification about its activities, assuring them that the Army’s doors were open for engagement.

Adebayo also promised that senior and experienced officers would be made available to engage with journalists, saying regular interaction would help both sides understand their responsibilities and improve the quality of security reporting.

The GOC said the security situation had improved “tremendously” in the past three to four months, urging the media to reflect the development in their reports while continuing to scrutinise the military and hold it accountable.

He also appealed to journalists to understand the difficult conditions under which troops operated, noting that many soldiers served in challenging environments to protect citizens and safeguard national security.

Earlier, ADCON Chairman, Philip Nwosu, said the visit was aimed at strengthening relations between defence correspondents and the military.

Nwosu said members of the association remained committed to accurate and balanced reporting of military activities while retaining their responsibility to hold public authorities accountable for their actions and inactions.

He said sustained engagement between the military and the media would promote mutual understanding, reduce misinformation and improve national security reporting.