The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris has called for stronger collaboration between the media and security agencies as a critical requirement for safeguarding national security, promoting public trust, and advancing Nigeria’s nation-building efforts.
Speaking as Chairman of the Occasion and Chief Host at the National Security Summit organised by the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) in collaboration with the Department of State Services (DSS) in Abuja on Thursday, the Minister described the relationship between the media and security institutions as essential to maintaining peace, unity, and national development.
Speaking on the theme, “Media and Security Agencies as Partners in Nation Building,” Idris said both institutions occupy strategic positions in the architecture of national development and share a common responsibility of protecting the national interest.
The minister said “While security agencies are entrusted with protecting lives, property, and national sovereignty, the media serves as the watchdog of society, the marketplace of ideas, and the bridge between government and citizens. Both institutions share a common objective: safeguarding the national interest and promoting peace, unity, and development,” ..
He stressed that effective collaboration built on mutual respect, professionalism, trust, and understanding of complementary roles would strengthen national security and enhance public confidence in government institutions.
The Minister noted that Nigeria, like many countries around the world, faces increasingly complex security challenges, including terrorism, violent extremism, cybercrime, organised crime, misinformation, separatist agitations, and other emerging threats that require collective action and strategic responses.
According to him, the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, has continued to prioritise security as a key pillar of the Renewed Hope Agenda through a comprehensive strategy that combines military operations, intelligence gathering, inter-agency collaboration, technological innovation, and community engagement.
He stated “Recognising that no meaningful development can occur without peace and stability, the administration has pursued a comprehensive security strategy that combines military action, intelligence gathering, inter-agency collaboration, technological innovation, and community engagement,” .
The Minister highlighted significant achievements recorded by security agencies under the Tinubu Administration, including the neutralisation and arrest of terrorists, bandits, kidnappers, and other criminal elements, the dismantling of criminal camps and hideouts, and the rescue of hundreds of kidnapped victims across the country.
He also noted that sustained military offensives have continued to degrade the operational capabilities of terrorist groups in the North-East, while intensified operations against banditry and kidnapping in the North-West and North-Central have yielded positive outcomes.
Idris further disclosed that the Federal Government has invested substantially in modern military equipment, intelligence infrastructure, surveillance technologies, and capacity building for security personnel to improve operational effectiveness and strengthen the nation’s ability to respond to evolving threats.
Beyond security operations, the Minister said the Tinubu Administration remains committed to addressing the underlying causes of insecurity through economic reforms, youth empowerment programmes, infrastructure development, educational opportunities, and social interventions aimed at improving citizens’ welfare and creating sustainable prosperity.
Speaking on the role of the media, Idris emphasised that responsible journalism has become more important than ever in an era where misinformation, fake news, and disinformation spread rapidly across digital platforms.
He said “National security is not served when misinformation is amplified without verification. Neither is it served when legitimate public concerns are ignored. The challenge before us is to strike the right balance between the public’s right to know and the imperative of protecting national security,” .
He urged journalists to continue upholding the highest standards of professionalism, accuracy, fairness, and ethical reporting, while encouraging security agencies to deepen engagement with the media through timely, credible, and transparent communication.
The Minister assured stakeholders that the Federal Ministry of Information and National Orientation remains committed to promoting constructive engagement between the media and security institutions through dialogue, capacity building, strategic communication, and public enlightenment initiatives.
Describing security as a shared national responsibility, Idris called on citizens, communities, civil society organisations, traditional institutions, religious leaders, and other stakeholders to contribute actively to building a peaceful, united, and prosperous Nigeria.
He commended the Nigeria Union of Journalists and the Department of State Services for organising the summit and expressed confidence that its deliberations would generate practical recommendations capable of strengthening collaboration between the media and security agencies in support of Nigeria’s national security objectives.
The summit attracted a distinguished gathering of senior government officials, security chiefs, media executives, communication professionals, and other stakeholders. Among those in attendance were the Director-General of the Voice of Nigeria (VON), Mallam Jibrin Baba Ndace; the Inspector-General of Police, represented by Assistant Inspector-General of Police, Miller Dantawaye; the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), represented by Assistant Commander-General of Narcotics, Dankolo Shehu Mohammed; the President and Chairman of Council of the Nigeria Institute of Public Relations (NIPR), Dr. Ike Neliaku; and the National President of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Comrade Alhassan Yahaya, alongside other distinguished guests from across the public and private sectors.
