FG urges synergy between military, paramilitary for national security

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The Minister of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has urged the military and paramilitary to close ranks in order to bolster national security efforts.

The Minister spoke on Thursday while receiving the Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, on a courtesy visit to his office in Abuja, a statement by the Special Assistant on Media to the Minister, Mr Babatunde Alao, said.

Expressing gratitude for the ongoing support from the Armed Forces, Minister Tunji-Ojo emphasized the pivotal role played by military personnel in assisting agencies under the Ministry during various operations.

While stressing the imperative of collaboration, he said there was a need to bridge existing gaps between the military and the ministry, advocating seamless intelligence sharing and resource allocation to effectively counter emerging threats.

Highlighting key areas of collaboration, the Minister emphasised the importance of training initiatives, particularly for personnel of the Nigerian immigration service stationed at border checkpoints and officers of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) tasked with safeguarding forested areas.

He, however, advocated for a memorandum of understanding to facilitate coordination and operational assistance between agencies under the Ministry and the Nigerian military.

He said: “There are numerous responsibilities that I believe the nitty-gritty can be worked out in a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between our agencies and the Nigerian military, encompassing equipment, training (which entails know-how), and other operational assistance.

“I want it to be your legacy, my legacy, and above all, the legacy of the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, that the military and the Nigeria Immigration Service were able to synergize and protect our border in such a way that any internal threat can be contained internally.”

In response, General Musa commended Minister Tunji-Ojo for his proactive initiatives that have contributed to the Ministry’s progress since assuming office.

He reaffirmed the Armed Forces’ commitment to supporting the Ministry in its mandate to enhance internal security, stressing the importance of unity between the Ministry of Defence and the Ministry of Interior in addressing contemporary security challenges.

“I want to assure you that the armed forces are fully with you. The Ministry of Defence and the Ministry of Interior are one and the same.

“Those days, the defence came in because we were fighting conventional warfare, mostly country-to-country, but now the fight is within. We are fighting unknown actors—people you don’t know about. That makes it very critical. And that’s why I want to assure you that we are going to collaborate with you,” he said.

Key government officials, including the Permanent Secretary, Directors, and Chief Executives of various security agencies, were in attendance.

The session also paid tribute to soldiers who recently sacrificed their lives while on a peacekeeping mission in Delta State.

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