The Federal Government has reaffirmed its commitment to a stronger and more coordinated national security framework as the Ministries of Interior and Defence move to deepen inter-ministerial collaboration.
This assurance was given on Friday in Abuja during a courtesy visit by the Minister of Defence, General Christopher Gwabin Musa (Rtd.), to the Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo. Both ministers pledged to strengthen cooperation to address Nigeria’s evolving internal and external security challenges.
Speaking during the meeting, Dr. Tunji-Ojo described Nigeria’s national security architecture as resting on a “tripod of intelligence, internal security and defence,” warning that weakness in any area could endanger the entire system. He cautioned against rivalry and territorialism among security institutions, stressed that Nigerians are more concerned about safety and performance than institutional boundaries.
The Interior Minister identified border security as a critical area requiring close collaboration, particularly through the Nigerian Immigration Service, noting that no nation can guarantee the safety of its citizens without securing its borders.
He also clarified the mandate of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), emphasized that the corps was not designed to function as a “police version 2.0,” but as a specialised agency tasked with protecting critical national assets such as schools, oil and gas installations, solid minerals, telecommunications and power infrastructure. According to him, attacks on such assets amount to “economic terrorism” and require military-grade training and close cooperation with the armed forces.
Dr. Tunji-Ojo further commended key stakeholders across the security ecosystem, including heads of agencies and senior officials from both ministries, for their dedication and behind-the-scenes contributions to national stability.
In his remarks, General Musa praised Dr. Tunji-Ojo’s leadership and the reforms recorded across agencies under the Ministry of Interior, including the Nigerian Immigration Service, NSCDC, Nigerian Correctional Service and the Federal Fire Service.
The Defence Minister called for deeper synergy between both ministries, describing them as “two sides of the same national security coin.” He noted that the distinction between internal and external security had become increasingly blurred due to asymmetric threats such as terrorism, insurgency, banditry and cross-border crimes.
According to Musa, no single ministry or agency can effectively address these challenges in isolation, stressing the need for intelligence-driven, whole-of-government responses. He advocated stronger intelligence collaboration through a joint intelligence fusion framework involving the Defence Intelligence Agency and interior agencies, alongside the deployment of secure technology platforms for real-time information sharing.
He also proposed regular joint simulations and tabletop exercises, clear protocols for joint operations, and continued capacity-building support for internal security agencies in counterterrorism, intelligence gathering and crisis response.
Responding, Dr. Tunji-Ojo agreed that weak internal security architecture often overstretches the military, noting that strengthening internal security agencies would allow the armed forces to concentrate on their core defence responsibilities.
Both ministers underscored the importance of integrated data management, agreeing that Interior Ministry databases should serve as key inputs for defence planning and national security decision-making. They also resolved to activate an inter-ministerial technical committee to meet regularly, review progress, address bottlenecks and institutionalise cooperation at both strategic and operational levels.
The ministers expressed confidence that sustained collaboration would enhance national security, improve public confidence and contribute to a safer Nigeria.
“Working together is the only way Nigeria can win,” Musa said.
