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Nigeria’s Honourable Minister of Defence, Gen. Christopher Gwabin Musa (rtd), has underscored the critical importance of a strong, coordinated relationship between the Ministry of Defence and the Ministry of Interior in safeguarding Nigeria’s security, safety, and development. He made this assertion on Friday, 16th January 2026, during a courtesy visit to the Ministry of Interior in Abuja.

Gen. Musa stated that the Armed Forces of Nigeria, the Ministry of Defence, and the Ministry of Interior share a collective responsibility for national security, stressing that the two ministries represent two sides of the same coin, with mandates covering external and internal security respectively. According to him, contemporary security threats such as terrorism, banditry, kidnapping, and cross-border crimes have increasingly blurred the lines between internal and external security, making close collaboration unavoidable. He noted that without security, sustainable national development cannot be achieved.

The Defence Minister emphasized the need for seamless cooperation through intelligence sharing, joint operations, and coordinated responses among the Armed Forces, the Nigeria Immigration Service, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, the Nigerian Correctional Service, and other relevant security agencies. He acknowledged that no single institution can effectively address Nigeria’s complex security challenges in isolation, hence the necessity of a unified and collaborative approach.

Gen. Musa disclosed that efforts are currently ongoing to strengthen border management, protect critical national assets and infrastructure, and institutionalise structured cooperation through inter-ministerial and inter-agency frameworks. He further revealed that enhanced capacity building, joint training programmes, and the deployment of technology for real-time situational awareness remain key priorities of the Defence establishment.

Reaffirming his commitment, the Minister assured Nigerians that the Ministry of Defence will continue to work closely with the Ministry of Interior and other stakeholders to build a stronger, more responsive, and unified national security architecture in the interest of peace, stability, and public confidence.

In his response, the Honourable Minister of Interior, Dr. Olatunji Ojo, agreed that national security is a combination of both internal and external dimensions. He stated that when internal security agencies are effectively positioned to perform their duties, the military will be better able to focus on its core responsibilities. According to him, Nigeria’s national security architecture stands on a tripod of intelligence, internal security, and the military, stressing that intelligence remains central to the effectiveness of the entire system.

Dr. Ojo described the Ministries of Defence and Interior as “siamese twins,” noting that their roles are inseparable and must be pursued in close partnership. He emphasized that a safe border is fundamental to a safe nation, arguing that no country can guarantee the safety of its citizens without the ability to effectively secure its borders.

He further stressed that enhanced border management is central to national security, peace, and stability, and can only be achieved through sustained collaboration between internal security agencies and the Ministry of Defence.

Dr. Ojo congratulated Gen. Musa on his appointment as Minister of Defence and pledged to work closely with him to strengthen Nigeria’s security architecture, expressing optimism that both ministries will work very well together in the national interest.