The Minister of Defence, General Christopher Gwabin Musa (rtd), on Friday stressed that close collaboration between the Ministries of Defence and Interior is critical to strengthening Nigeria’s security architecture and safeguarding national development.
Musa made the assertion during a courtesy visit to the Ministry of Interior in Abuja, noting that the two ministries play complementary roles in addressing the country’s internal and external security challenges.
According to him, the Armed Forces of Nigeria and the internal security agencies operate as “two sides of the same coin,” particularly in the face of evolving threats such as terrorism, banditry, kidnapping and cross-border crimes.
He explained that sustainable national development cannot be achieved without adequate security, adding that contemporary security threats have made cooperation among security institutions more imperative than ever. 
The Defence Minister underscored the need for seamless collaboration through intelligence sharing, joint operations and coordinated responses involving the Armed Forces, Nigeria Immigration Service, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Nigerian Correctional Service and other relevant agencies.
“No single institution can effectively tackle Nigeria’s complex security challenges in isolation,” Musa said, stressing that a collective and integrated approach remains the most viable solution.
He disclosed that efforts are ongoing to strengthen border management, protect critical national assets and infrastructure, and institutionalise cooperation through structured inter-ministerial and inter-agency frameworks.
Musa added that capacity building, joint training programmes and the deployment of technology for real-time situational awareness are key priorities of the Defence Ministry. 
He reassured Nigerians of the commitment of the defence establishment to work closely with the Ministry of Interior and other stakeholders to build a more responsive and unified national security system that will promote peace, stability and public confidence.
In his response, the Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, described national security as a combination of internal and external efforts, noting that effective internal security allows the military to better focus on its constitutional responsibilities.
“Our national security architecture stands on a tripod of intelligence, internal security and the military. Intelligence is key,” he said.
Tunji-Ojo likened the Ministries of Defence and Interior to “Siamese twins,” emphasizing that both must work closely together to achieve meaningful results.
He further stated that effective border management is central to national security, stressing that no nation can guarantee the safety of its citizens without securing its borders.
According to him, sustained collaboration between internal security agencies and the Ministry of Defence is essential to ensuring safe borders, peace and national stability.
The Interior Minister congratulated Musa on his appointment and pledged the ministry’s commitment to working closely with him to further strengthen Nigeria’s security architecture, expressing optimism that the partnership between both ministries would yield positive outcomes.
LV