The Honourable Minister of Defence Gen. Christopher Gwabin Musa (rtd) has asserted that strong bond and shared responsibility between the Armed Forces of Nigeria, the Ministry of Defence, and the Ministry of Interior is critical to the nation’s security, safety, and development.
He made the assertion during a courtesy visit to the Ministry of Interior on Friday 16th January, 2026 in Abuja, a statement by a statement by Enderline Chukwu, Deputy Director Information and Public Relations noted.
The Minister emphasized that the Ministries of Defence and Interior represent two sides of the same coin as both handles the external and internal security of the country and their roles are increasingly intertwined due to contemporary threats such as terrorism, banditry, kidnapping, and cross-border crimes, noting that without security, sustainable national development cannot be achieved.
Speaking further, Gen Musa emphasized the importance of seamless collaboration, intelligence sharing, joint operations, and coordinated responses among the Armed Forces, Immigration Service, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Nigerian Correctional Service, and other security agencies acknowledging that no single institution can effectively address Nigeria’s complex security challenges in isolation, hence the need for a collaborative approach.
He disclosed that efforts are ongoing to strengthen border management, protect critical national assets and infrastructure, and institutionalise structured cooperation through inter-ministerial and inter-agency frameworks.
He informed that enhanced capacity building, joint training, and the use of technology for real-time situational awareness remain key priorities, while reaffirming his commitment by assuring Nigerians that the Defence establishment will continue to work closely with the Ministry of Interior and all relevant stakeholders, to build a stronger, more responsive, and unified national security architecture in the interest of peace, stability, and public confidence.
Responding, the Minister of Interior Dr. Olatunji Ojo said that security is a combination of both internal and external. If the internal security agencies are up to the task, the military will be able to face what they need to do. According to him, “our national security architecture stands on the tripod of intelligence, internal security and the military. Intelligence is key”.
He described ministries of Defence and Interior like siamese twins and as a result, must work together, adding that a safe border is a safe nation and no country can guarantee the safety of its people if it is unable to effectively protect its borders.
He stressed that enhanced border management remains central to national security, peace, and stability, and requires sustained collaboration between internal security agencies and the Ministry of Defence to succeed.
Ojo congratulated the Minister of Defence on his appointment and pledged to work together with him to strengthen Nigeria’s security architecture, and expressed optimism that both ministries will work very well.
