By Harriet Tornguvan
The Minister of Defence, General Christopher Gwabin Musa (rtd), has underscored the need for strong synergy between the Ministries of Defence and Interior as a critical factor in safeguarding Nigeria’s security and advancing national development.
General Musa made this assertion during a courtesy visit to the Ministry of Interior in Abuja. He noted that the two ministries play complementary roles in managing Nigeria’s external and internal security, describing them as “two sides of the same coin” whose responsibilities are increasingly interconnected in the face of contemporary security challenges.
According to the Defence Minister, threats such as terrorism, banditry, kidnapping and cross-border crimes have blurred the traditional boundaries between internal and external security, making collaboration unavoidable. He stressed that sustainable national development cannot thrive in the absence of security.
General Musa called for seamless cooperation through intelligence sharing, joint operations and coordinated responses among the Armed Forces of Nigeria and internal security agencies, including the Nigeria Immigration Service, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps and the Nigerian Correctional Service.
He emphasized that no single institution can effectively address Nigeria’s complex security challenges in isolation.
He further disclosed that efforts are underway to strengthen border management, protect critical national assets and infrastructure, and institutionalise structured cooperation through inter-ministerial and inter-agency frameworks. He added that capacity building, joint training programmes and the deployment of technology for real-time situational awareness remain key priorities.
Reaffirming his commitment, the Defence Minister assured Nigerians that the Defence establishment would continue to work closely with the Ministry of Interior and other stakeholders to build a unified, responsive and resilient national security architecture capable of enhancing peace, stability and public confidence.
In his response, the Minister of Interior, Olatunji Ojo, described security as a combination of both internal and external efforts, noting that effective internal security enables the military to better confront external threats. He stated that Nigeria’s national security architecture rests on what he described as a “tripod” of intelligence, internal security and the military, stressing that intelligence remains central to success.
Ojo likened the Ministries of Defence and Interior to “Siamese twins,” emphasizing that their shared responsibilities demand close and sustained cooperation. He also highlighted the importance of border security, noting that no nation can guarantee the safety of its citizens without effective border protection.
According to him, enhanced border management is fundamental to national security, peace and stability, and can only be achieved through sustained collaboration between internal security agencies and the Ministry of Defence.
The Interior Minister congratulated General Musa on his appointment and pledged the ministry’s full cooperation, expressing optimism that both ministries would work harmoniously to further strengthen Nigeria’s security framework.
