Buratai calls for caution in the use of social media by personnel

The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai has called for caution in the use of social media by personnel of the Nigerian Army.

Buratai who was speaking during the official opening of a three day workshop titled ‘Office management and Document Security workshop 2018’ stated that the social media posed an additional challenge in information security.

At the event which held at the 81 Division Officers’ Mess in Lagos, Buratai who was represented by the Chief of Administration (Army) Major General Idriss Alkali said some misguided personnel have abused the use of social media contrary to the rules of the service.

Speaking further at the quarterly event which was organized to improve the capacity of clerks within the service, the COAS said, “The Nigerian Army has a policy on the use of social media. The use of social media to discuss or disclose service matter is absolutely wrong. It is very unprofessional for personnel to resort to social media to disclose classified information or express grievances when the Nigeria Army has well established channels for addressing complains.

“It is equally saddening to find operational issues and utterances including some gory pictures involving our personnel and equipment been circulated on social media by troops to the embarrassment of the service and affected families. I want you to take particular of the presentations as it will also highlight the inherent risk associated with the advent of social media and all the steps you must take not to compromise information as clerks.”

As part of his action plan to curtail the risk associated with the use of social media by personnel, the COAS also revealed that he had initiated a process that will lead to the establishment of a Directorate in the Nigerian Army that will focus solely on the management of social media the service.

Emphasizing on the reason for the workshop, Buratai noted that the workshop will draw the attention of clerks to the importance of securing service documents in a manner that will not jeopardize Nigerian Army operations and administration.

“This workshop will help you towards playing your expected roles in actualizing my vision which is to have a professionally responsive Nigerian Army in the discharge of its constitutional role. I directed the holding of office management and document security workshop for clerks haven known the important roles the clerks play in the handling and management of our documents, some of which are highly classified and their disclosure dangerous to our national interest,” he stated.

The Director of Manpower Planning (Army Headquarters) Major –General Kay Isiyaku who was also present at the opening of the workshop also disclosed that the service was faced with the issue of leakages as documents that are supposed to be treated as confidential find their way into public domain.

Decrying the trend, he said, “Where documents they are supposed to be put into use are leaked to people that are outside, it therefore compromise whatever we are supposed to do. This of course is detrimental to the effective and efficient workings of any organization. We have had cases of people transmitting classified document particularly through the social media and that doesn’t go down well with the authorities. “

The General Officer Commanding (GOC) 81 Division, Major General Okon Enobong also encouraged the participants to discipline themselves as well as seize the opportunity to improve themselves in the discharge of their duties.