FG Sets To Launch National Security Awareness Campaign -Lai Mohammed

Speech by Hon Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai
Mohammed, at a meeting with members of the Broadcasting Organization
of Nigeria (BON) in Abuja on Thursday, Jan. 7th 2016

PROTOCOL

1     Good morning gentlemen, and Happy New Year to you all. It's a
great pleasure for me to meet with you this morning. Though some of
your executive members attended a meeting I held earlier with
representatives of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Nigerian Guild of
Editors, Nigerian Association of Women Journalists and RATTAWU, this
is my first meeting with an enlarged BON membership since I assumed
office in November 2015. I welcome you all.

2     As you must have heard or read, the Federal Government is
launching a National Security Awareness Campaign as part of efforts to
provide the missing civilian component of the war against terrorism.
Specifically, the campaign is aimed at sensitizing Nigerians to the
need to support the military, which has availed itself creditably in
the battle, as well as to own the war. It is also aimed at alerting
Nigerians to the need to be more security conscious, to be able to
identify Improvised Explosive Devices (IED), the weapon of choice
being deployed by the cowardly terrorists, and also to fish out
suicide bombers before they strike. After all, these suicide bombers
are not ghosts, and they live among us.

3     The Federal Government believes that the military has succeeded
in massively degrading the capacity of the Boko Haram terrorists to
carry out the kind of attacks they used to launch in the past, like
that on the police headquarters in Abuja, on the UN Complex also in
Abuja and on military barracks. However, we also know that the
terrorists, who have been routed from their strongholds, have now
resorted to attacking soft targets, that is highly vulnerable places
like markets, motor parks, mosques, entertainment centres and schools,
killing innocent people. That is why we believe that, as a government,
we must now sensitize our people, so that they can be more security
conscious and help to end the spate of suicide bombings that are the
last vestiges of a fading insurgency.

4     In this regard, we need all Nigerians to join hands together. We
need all hands on deck. And we need a very important organization like
yours, the Broadcasting Organization of Nigeria, to assist us in
creating awareness among our people. Already, some of your members,
like the NTA, the FRCN and VON, have taken up the gauntlet and are now
running awareness campaign messages on their stations. Since December,
these stations have dedicated many slots, some in prime time, to
airing these campaign messages in different languages. Also, the News
Agency of Nigeria has been using its SMS Platform to send security
awareness messages to Nigerians. Let me use this opportunity to
commend these media organizations for a job well done, and to also
urge them not to relent until all our citizens are safe and secure.

5     Now, we want to call on the remaining members of BON, most of
whom are represented here, to emulate the organizations that I have
mentioned in running the security awareness campaign messages on their
stations. I know some will argue that, unlike the NTA, FRCN or VON,
they are privately owned and they need to make money to pay their
workers and run their stations. That is a legitimate argument. But the
truth is that unless the nation is at peace, the stations cannot even
carry out their operations.

6     And as I have explained at many fora, in times of war,
especially one that threatens the nation's existence, the media cannot
afford to be neutral. This war against terror is our war, not the
military's war. We are therefore using the opportunity provided by
this meeting to appeal to you all to assist us in carrying the
security awareness campaign messages to all the nooks and crannies of
our country. We have no doubt that you will heed this national call
and show uncommon commitment and patriotism.

7     In the days ahead, we will be sending the various campaign
messages to all BON members through the necessary channels. I believe
that your Chairman, who by the way is a key member of the Inter-Agency
Committee that is behind this security awareness campaign, and indeed
other executives members of BON present here will advise us on the
best mode of dispatching the messages to you in the shortest time
possible, and in as many indigenous languages as possible.

8     The messages that we have developed and are still developing as
we speak are not exhaustive. Therefore we welcome any fresh ideas that
you may have that will make it possible to reach all Nigerians faster
and in a more efficient manner, and ultimately keep them safe and
secure.

9     May we also use the opportunity offered by this meeting to
inform you that in the days ahead, the Federal Government will be
launching a major campaign, tagged 'Change Begins With Me', with a
view to achieving attitudinal change among Nigerians. This is because
we believe that the change we so much desire must start with each and
everyone of us, if it is to endure. The change must also come from
within the heart, rather than being forced.

10    The Danfo driver must resolve not to drink 'paraga' and drive.
The pharmacist must resolve not to sell adulterated drugs. The student
must resolve not to join cult groups and must eschew cheating in
exams. The policeman must resolve not to take bribes. Everyone must
change his or her ways for the better. We will also be counting on
your support for the success of this campaign, which we will be
rolling out shortly.

11    Gentlemen, once again let me thank you most sincerely for
honouring our invitation. We wish you all a safe journey back to your
destinations, and a great and fulfilling year ahead. I thank you for
your kind attention.