FG, army, Kaduna demand unified voice towards safety threats

Security chiefs and authorities stakeholders have warned that Nigeria’s battle has shifted from the bodily battlefield to the data area, calling for inter-agency collaboration to counter disinformation, deep fakes and cyber threats.

They spoke on the ongoing Second National Symposium on Crisis Communication organised by the Centre for Crisis Communication (CCC) in Kaduna state.

The symposium is themed: “Inter-agency collaboration, public trust and cyber threat management in crisis communication.”

Delivering the welcome handle, chairman of the centre, Major General Chris Olukolade (rtd), stated efficient communication is now not peripheral however central to nationwide safety, public security and nationwide stability.

“I warmly welcome you to the second national crisis communication symposium, and your presence here reflects a shared understanding that effective communication is central to national security, public safety and the preservation of public trust,” Olukolade stated.

He warned that delayed or contradictory official communication creates room for hearsay and misinformation, citing Nigeria’s digital growth.

“DataReportal estimated that Nigeria had approximately 109 million internet users as of end-2025. Meanwhile, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime reported that Nigeria lost an estimated N1.1tn to cybercrime between 2017 and 2023,” he stated.

Olukolade stated safety threats are actually fought within the data area “where rumour, misinformation and manipulated narratives can deepen public anxiety, undermine confidence and complicate security operations”.

He introduced the disclosing of the Nigerian Journal of Crisis Communication and stated the disaster communication hub established after the inaugural symposium in November 2025 received the 2026 Golden World Award of the International Public Relations Association.

“Our idea in this centre is one crisis, one coordinated response,” he stated, itemizing the centre’s rules as “preparedness before crisis, inter-agency coordination without confusion, credibility through transparency and accountability, resilience against cyber threats and disinformation.”