The Federal Government has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening collaboration among security agencies, government institutions, communities and other stakeholders to improve internal security, promote peace and support national development.
Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, stated this on Thursday in Abuja when the Special Adviser to the President on Internal Security, Maj. Gen. Adeyinka Famadewa (retd.), paid him a courtesy visit.
Idris described the visit as an opportunity to deepen understanding of the mandate of the newly established Office of the Special Adviser to the President on Internal Security and to strengthen cooperation in communicating government policies and programmes on national security to Nigerians.
The minister said peace and security were fundamental to sustainable development, stressing that Nigeria’s security challenges could not be addressed through military action alone.
He called for closer cooperation among the armed forces, security agencies, governments at all levels, communities, the media and citizens.
«“Security requires cooperation among security agencies, the armed forces and the wider population. Military action alone cannot resolve the country’s security challenges,” Idris said.»
The minister also highlighted the role of the National Orientation Agency (NOA) and other agencies under the ministry in strengthening community resilience, promoting responsible citizenship and ensuring that Nigerians have access to accurate and timely information.
According to him, misinformation, disinformation and the deliberate spread of false information have emerged as additional national security challenges.
He therefore stressed the need for responsible communication and greater public awareness about the sources and reliability of information shared through the media and other communication platforms.
Earlier, Famadewa said his visit was aimed at establishing a strong working relationship with the Ministry of Information and National Orientation, describing information and public awareness as important components of modern internal security.
He said his office would focus on areas including intelligence coordination and surveillance, strengthening border security, improving threat detection, and developing effective mechanisms for reporting and responding to security threats and conflicts.
Famadewa also emphasised the strategic importance of information in addressing emerging and non-traditional security threats.
He said effective communication was necessary to ensure that Nigerians were properly informed about security developments and that the government remained proactive in shaping public understanding of national security issues.
Idris assured the Special Adviser of the ministry’s full cooperation, saying stronger institutional collaboration, effective communication and active citizen participation would contribute to the Federal Government’s objective of achieving a more secure, peaceful and prosperous Nigeria.
The meeting was attended by senior officials from the Ministry of Information and National Orientation and the Office of the Special Adviser to the President on Internal Security, as well as heads of several government-owned media and regulatory institutions.
Those present included the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Dr Binyerem C. Ukaire; Special Adviser to the Minister on Administration, Dr Sunday Baba; Director of Public Communications and National Orientation, Henshaw Ogubike; Director of Public Relations and Protocol, Dr Suleiman Haruna; Head of Intelligence and Analysis, Maj. Gen. Emmanuel Ndagi (retd.); Head of Operations, Maj. Gen. Hassan Dada (retd.); Director-General of the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), Dr Charles Ebuebu; Director-General of the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), Dr Salihu Abdulhamid Dembos; Director-General of the Voice of Nigeria (VON), Jibrin Baba Ndace; and Director-General of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Ali Muhammad Ali.
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Security