by Akan Ido

The Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshall Alex Badeh has alleged that there are fifth columnists in the military.

Badeh said this yesterday in Abuja during a workshop on ‘Security/Media Relations in Crisis Management’.

The workshop which is scheduled to last three days was organized by the Office of National Security Adviser in conjunction with a company called Trim Communications Nig. Ltd.

Badeh said, “If your people are misleading you, what do you do? There are too many fifth columnists.

“There was a report which says oh, we have seen some of the Chibok girls, only eight are missing, it was a very senior officer that gave that information from Chibok area.

“We are dealing with that situation. That was when people started saying watch what Maj.-Gen. Olukolade, the Director, of Defence Information says. He was misled by one of us,’’ he said.

Badeh urged the media to act responsibly while reporting the ongoing conflict in the North-east of the country. He warned against publishing stories that would create panic among citizens.

He gave his assessment of media reporting of the activities of insurgents saying, “I would not say it has been what we are looking for.

“Because without pointing accusing fingers, some newspapers celebrate when anything bad happens to this country.

“They really celebrate it, maybe because of politics. President Jonathan cannot be doing everything.

“When an institution has small problem, you do not go and say the president has failed,’’ he said, adding that journalists should endeavour to verify their report before publishing.

“If you know how many condolence messages I have received that my house is burnt, that my whole village has been burnt; but no Boko Haram has gone to my village.

“I do not know whether it is me they want to bring down or the president that they want to bring down, that is the media for you.’’ he said.

The chairman of the occasion, retired Gen. Martin Luther Agwai, said that there was need for the media and security agencies to partner in handling the current situation.