Captain Salisu Ibrahim Mustapha is the outgoing Media and Information Officer of the Special Task Force (STF), OPERATION SAFE HEAVEN. In this interview with MUHAMMAD TANKO SHITTU, Mustapha speaks on his experience as media officer of STF, the need for journalists to report security and defence issues in ethical manner, the role of media in crisis management and more
What positive roles do you think journalists can play in terms of peace building?
Well first and foremost, I think journalist need to be sincere, they should have the sincerity of purpose, let them see themselves as major stakeholders, in the crises management, and as long as they stand to that I think the basic thing for peace building is done. They should wipe out negative sentiment, be unbiased in their reportage and not side with any organization, group or government.
What is your take on how the media has report Jos crisis?
Honestly, some of them (Journalists) are really, really trying, but some need to work on their skills. While some are excellent in their reportage, there are those who are so sectional and sentimental, that I some time wonder whether they are actually trained journalists.
What is the significance of confirming an incident from the STF?
If you are talking of getting first-hand information, it is very important, because before any government official gets to the scene of an incident the STF men are there. It is the STF men that are there that will tell, so why not get the confirmation from the source rather than hearing it from the third party.
As the STF Media officer what do you think were the most challenging aspect of the work?
The most challenging has to do with my work, relating with you (laughs), the journalists. It hasn’t been easy because every journalist wants his story in a different way, he asked his questions in a different way and he need his answer in that particular line, that will make him suit his own agenda. Again, as a Media officer of STF, I have to be unbiased and in the process, I step peoples toes, because everybody will want me to please him.
It is challenging because you cannot be telling everybody’s mind at the same time, and everybody wants you to satisfy him. So I like giving what I see or thought is the right thing.
Why is that sometimes journalists are unable to reach you for confirmation?
In some cases there are some places where we use to get very bad network. Secondly, there is a situation where a journalist will be able to reached to me, but I will not be able give him confirmation, but the issue is that I will not like to give information that I am not very sure is true. So, I always wait for details before disseminating it to journalists and the general public.
At times we are faced with a situation where the STF is giving the confirmation of some figures, at the same time your counterpart from the Police will give different one on the same incident, what is your take on this?
As I said earlier, that was one of the reasons why I don’t give confirmation so early; not that we don’t want to or we don’t know, but is to tell the fact and final details. For instance in an incident of an attack on a community or so, you will hear that may be one person was killed and may be two others injured, that is the first headline that you will get in the first thirty 30 minutes, it is possible now after three or four hours the headline will change, to may be two people killed and one person injured.
So you could see it is the same attack, the same incident, with different details, and at times that is why we are having such problem, and you hear two figures that contradict the report.
How do you feel at times seeing reports that are not true, or not been confirmed?
Whenever I see such reports, I always put myself into the shoes of a journalist and say I how will I feel if I was the one that has made such report, and how will people look at meThe most disturbing thing is, not that such reporter doesn’t have access to the correct information, but he will decide not to seek for it, so it is better if you liaise with the STF, to get the right stories.
Some communities have rejected and in some instance molested men of the STF.What do you think is responsible?
Yes it happened, and till today there are some communities that have been rejecting the deployment of the STF men. It is part of the challenge of the job. We will remain focused on our job which is provision of law and order in the Plateau. In some of these communities, our men are deployed there to check criminality and in doing that commander STF does require the consent of the people.
There have been growing calls for the withdrawal of the STF by some people, what is your take on that?
Yes, there has been the call for the withdrawal of the STF, but those calling for the withdrawal are the people brought the STF to Plateau state. It is the Federal Government and if there is any directive to that effect, STF will withdraw.
The calls for withdrawal of STF is coming a particular community, particular tribe, and particular area of the state. They are not the majority in the state. They have their agenda, but not for peace and progress of Plateau state.
Your men have also been accused of
attacking some communities. What have the STF been doing?
I can assure that whoever that was indicted, he was investigated and if found to have been culpable on the course of their duties, that person cannot longer be with the STF, and he is punished by either de-ranking him, or been court martial, or even discharge from the service.
You have raised concern about proliferation of small arms and light?
Just like I have told you that in the first two months of this year alone, we have recovered 32 guns and have made arrests. We still continue with it because almost every week we make at least recovery of one or two weapons. The last one we did was when we intercepted a gun runner
coming between Makurdi and Jos. He has about 15 AK47 rifles with him and
he was arrested.
What is the impact of arms proliferation to the crises on the Plateau?
The proliferation is huge and with the arms they can carry out any deadly criminality in the state. In fact, proliferation is partly responsible for escalation of crisis in plateau. But I must say that SALW is a global challenge. There are many people who are gun runner out plateau state. We will continue to arrest them.
The STF have been saddle with the task of restoring and maintaining peace, but most of the incidents has to do with criminality, cattle rustling and so on. What do you think is the best way to approach the situation?
The situation require holistic approach. The role of STF is basically providing the security to the people and ensuring that crises did not erupt and escalate. Beyond this , however, government needs to come in more in most of the areas. There are issues that can be solve at the level of government through provision of welfare and other social amenities. There is also the need for Government to deal decisively with those that are caught involved in any criminal act. I assure you, STF will continue to play its role in ensuring that that criminality did not erupt into new violence.
