The Minister of Defence, Gen. Christopher Musa, has urged closer collaboration between the Ministries of Defence and Interior, warning that Nigeria’s security challenges cannot be effectively tackled in isolation.
Gen. Musa made the call on Friday during a courtesy visit to the Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, in Abuja.
Both ministers pledged to strengthen inter-ministerial cooperation to confront evolving threats such as terrorism, insurgency, banditry, and cross-border crimes.
Describing the two ministries as “two sides of the same national security coin,” Musa said the distinction between internal and external security was increasingly blurred.
“The line between internal and external security is no longer clear. These threats require synergy, intelligence sharing, and coordinated operations if we are to succeed,” he said.
He called for a joint intelligence framework between the Defence Intelligence Agency and interior agencies, including the Nigerian Immigration Service, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), and the Nigerian Correctional Service. Musa also advocated for secure technology platforms for real-time information sharing, joint simulations, and clear protocols for coordinated operations.
The Defence Minister assured that his ministry would continue to support capacity-building for internal security agencies through specialised training in counterterrorism, intelligence gathering, and crisis response, as well as logistical and technical assistance where needed.
In his response, Tunji-Ojo stressed that weak internal security overstretches the military and hinders national security.
“Our national security architecture stands on a tripod of intelligence, internal security, and defence. If one leg is weak, the entire structure is threatened,” he said.
The Interior Minister highlighted border security as a critical area for collaboration and clarified that the NSCDC’s mandate focuses on protecting critical national assets, describing attacks on infrastructure as acts of “economic terrorism.”
Both ministers agreed to activate an inter-ministerial technical committee to institutionalise cooperation, review progress, and address operational bottlenecks.
They expressed confidence that sustained collaboration would strengthen national security, boost public confidence, and deliver a safer Nigeria.
“Working together is the only way Nigeria can win,” Musa said.
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