The Federal Government has urged Nigerians to view the military as an integral part of society and not as an occupying force.

Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, made the call at a conference on Civil-Military Relations organised by the Defence Headquarters in Abuja on Thursday.

He expressed concern over the trust deficit between the military and various segments of the Nigerian population.

“This perception, based on history, misinformation, or isolated incidents, threatens our national unity and stability,” Idris said in a statement issued by the ministry’s Director of Public Relations and Protocol, Suleiman Haruna.

Represented by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Ogbodo Chinasa Nnam, the Minister emphasized that the military remains a force for good, committed to the protection and progress of the Nigerian nation.

He stressed the need to rebuild public trust, calling for a deliberate effort to reshape the narrative around the armed forces by highlighting stories of sacrifice, community service, and humanitarian interventions.

Idris urged the media to play a strategic role in countering misinformation and promoting responsible journalism, particularly in matters relating to national security.

He also assured that the Ministry of Information and National Orientation is ready to partner with the Defence Headquarters, civil society, and the media to implement the resolutions of the conference.

“We must build stronger bridges of interaction through town hall engagements, joint projects, civic education, and institutional frameworks that bring the military closer to the heartbeat of the nation,” he said.

The conference, themed “Winning Hearts and Minds: Non-Kinetic Approaches to National Security,” focused on addressing the growing divide between the military and civilians through dialogue, community engagement, media sensitisation, civic education, and humanitarian collaboration.