From Okwe Obi, Abuja
A civil society organization, the Global Peace and Life Rescue Initiative (GOPRI), has disclosed plans to launch ‘Troop Support Initiative’ to boost the morale of the military in fight against banditry in country.
GOPRI explained that the project will involve radio programmes, community sensitization via town hall and village meetings, campus tours, world class movie that will be aired on national channels, so as to change the mindset of Nigerians to support the military.
This is even as its Executive Director, Melvin Ejeh, in a statement, yesterday
cautioned critics especially foreign media organizations against fueling division between the Nigerian military and citizens with unsubstantiated comments and actions.
Ejeh stated that the military should rather be commended for doubling its effort in combating bandits who are bent on destroying the country.
It has become worrisome to us that some international organisations and local news media agencies have deliberately targeted the Army in their blackmails aimed at setting the Nigerian public in particular and the outside world in general against the Nigerian Army despite their successes and sacrifices for the unity of the country.
“We are, therefore, calling on all Nigerians, home and in the diaspora, to come together irrespective of their political, religious and ethnic differences to support our Army and other security agencies in the fight against crimes and insurgents in the interest of national unity. This is most important given that we have not just one country but also one Army.
“The proposed initiative will deepen civil-military relationship and foster a positive and more balanced public perception of the Army.
“Some Nigerians have constituted themselves as the  mouthpieces of the criminals,insurgents and bandits, hence the urgent need for this self-sponsored efforts through troop support programme to tell the untold story of our Army with a view to galvanizing well-meaning Nigerians to support our Army.
We do not have another Army and country.
“These deliberate attempts by these adversaries and their agents to discredit the Nigerian military in the fight against insurgency, terrorism and criminality in the country should and must be resisted.
“We urge the Nigerian Army not to be deterred in its ongoing efforts to rid the country of terrorism and other forms of criminal acts in the country.
“it is high time the negative perceptions about the Nigerian Army and its troops was stopped in view of the giant strides of the Nigerian Army in the direction of peace,” he said.
The peace advocate continued, “The Global Peace and Life Rescue Initiative (GOPRI), strongly commends the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Farouk Yahaya, over the Nigerian Army success so far under his dynamic leadership.
“General Farouq Yahaya’s evolutionary vision to work towards building professional Nigerian Army ready to accomplish assigned missions within a joint environment in defence of Nigeria, is both apt and timely.
“The Troops Support Project, we believe, will help in the realization of the above mandate.
“In this 21st Century service delivery, public image and perception are key ingredients. Today’s Nigeria is witnessing the colossal sacrifice of the Nigerian Army being gradually swallowed up by wrong perception, as false narratives are constantly sponsored in the media and general conversations by agents of disunity and some uninformed Nigeria’s hence this programme intends to bridge that gap.
“The project will involve radio programmes, community sensitization via town hall and village meetings,  campus tours, world class movie that will be aired on notable national, Africa and world class television channels, documentaries and music videos, social media campaigns as well as an annual Nigerian Army Troops Celebration Day Programme.
” This, we believe, will boost the morale of service men and re-engineer community support and collaboration towards sustainable peace and national unity in Nigeria.
“We wish to use this medium to further commend the Chief of Defence Staff, General Lucky Irabor for his visionary leadership which is seeing the Armed Forces of Nigeria and other security agencies working in closer synergy than ever before. We also commend him for his initiative to reaching out to the retired veterans who are now part of the scheme in peace building within their communities.
“Furthermore, we wish to express our gratitude to the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Isiaka Oladayo Amao as well as the Chief of Naval Staff, Rear Admiral Awwal Zubairu Gambo, for their synergies in dealing decisively with trouble makers and proving nay-sayers and enemies of our dear nation wrong by downgrading the Boko Haram/ISWAP insurgency and rooting out banditry.
“To our troops, we cannot thank you enough for your sacrifices. This is why we must support you in your selfless efforts to rid out the nation of insecurity. We cannot wait for you to finish your mission in the frontline and return to your families in the barracks.”
He called on “Nigerians to demonstrate love for our troops bearing in mind the fact that without our troops, we are finished. We must do away with every form of negativities and change our mind-set in other to have a more peaceful and safe country.”