Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Farouk Yahaya, in an exclusive interview with some journalists spoke about the state of the nation and the war against terrorism.
The COAS also assessed the progress made by the military in their different operations across the country.
Speaking on the challenges faced by the military, Yahaya said one major obstacle is the increase in population.
He added that although the increased manpower is a blessing to the economy pool, it is also a source of recruits for terrorists.
“One thing that most stakeholders agree on is that the high rate of population growth has been a double-edged sword.
“Ordinarily, higher population means there is a larger talent pool for economic growth activities; but this larger talent pool has also led to a significant growth in the number of those who are being lured to use their energies negatively,” he said.
Yahaya also charged journalists and citizens to be wary of fake news as the spread of rumours will need fears in the heart of many.
He said, “Terrorism thrives on the promotion of fear; especially the continuous coverage of terror incidents.
“More than ever before, it has become necessary for journalists not to unintentionally align with the strategy of the terrorists.
“It is not the military alone that is fighting terrorism; it is the country; so the solution should not be limited to only the military. Citizens also can assist by sharing information before incidents happen.”
