By John Dike, Osogbo
Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, on Thursday said the Federal Government is deploying a multi-dimensional strategy under President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda to tackle insecurity and create an enabling environment for national development.
Idris stated this while chairing the National Security Summit jointly organised by the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) and the Department of State Services (DSS) at the Abuja Continental Hotel and Towers.
Speaking on the theme, “Media and Security Agencies as Partners in Nation Building,” the minister stressed the need for stronger collaboration between journalists and security institutions to safeguard national interests and boost public confidence.
He described the summit as a timely initiative bringing together stakeholders from the media, security agencies, academia, government institutions and civil society to address the country’s evolving security challenges.
According to him, terrorism, cybercrime, misinformation, organised crime and other transnational threats require collective action, strategic communication and responsible journalism.
“The media and security agencies occupy critical positions in the architecture of nation-building. While security agencies are entrusted with protecting lives and property, the media serves as the watchdog of society and the bridge between government and citizens. Both institutions share a common objective of promoting peace, unity and development,” he said.
Idris noted that the Tinubu administration had adopted a holistic approach involving military operations, intelligence gathering, inter-agency collaboration, technological innovation and community engagement, adding that the strategy had continued to yield positive results.
He said sustained operations by security forces had led to the neutralisation of terrorists, bandits and kidnappers, dismantling of criminal camps and the rescue of abducted victims across the country.
The minister disclosed that military offensives in the North-East had significantly weakened terrorist groups, while intelligence-led operations had enhanced responses to banditry and kidnapping in the North-West and North-Central regions.
He added that the Federal Government had invested heavily in modern military equipment, intelligence infrastructure, surveillance technologies and capacity building for security personnel to improve operational effectiveness.
Beyond kinetic measures, Idris said the administration was tackling the root causes of insecurity through economic reforms, youth empowerment programmes, infrastructure development, education and social interventions.
He cautioned against the spread of fake news and misinformation, urging journalists to uphold professionalism, accuracy and ethical standards while calling on security agencies to provide timely and credible information capable of building public trust.
“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 said.
Idris assured that the Federal Government would continue to promote constructive engagement between the media and security institutions through dialogue, capacity building and strategic communication.
Earlier, the National President of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Comrade Alhassan Yahaya Abdullahi, called for stronger collaboration between journalists and security agencies, describing such partnership as essential to nation-building and national security.
Abdullahi said the country’s security challenges, including terrorism, banditry, kidnapping, cybercrime and violent extremism, demand collective action and sustained cooperation among all stakeholders.
According to him, national security should not be viewed as the exclusive responsibility of security agencies, but a collective task involving the media, government institutions, civil society organisations and citizens.
He said one of the promises he made upon assuming office in November 2024 was to create platforms that would strengthen engagement between journalists and key national institutions and position the media as a constructive partner in addressing national challenges.
“Today, I am delighted that this summit represents the fulfilment of that promise. It demonstrates what can be achieved through commitment, partnership and a shared determination to serve our country better,” he said.
The NUJ president urged journalists to continue to uphold professionalism and ethical standards, noting that information has enormous capacity to shape public perception and influence national security outcomes.
He commended the Director-General of the DSS, Mr Adeola Oluwatosin Ajayi, for fostering greater understanding and trust between the media and security institutions through collaboration and dialogue.
Abdullahi expressed optimism that the summit would deepen cooperation between journalists and security agencies and contribute to national peace, stability and development.
