- The minister also advocated for a memorandum of understanding to facilitate coordination and operational assistance between agencies under the Ministry and the Nigerian military.
- The session also paid tribute to soldiers who recently sacrificed their lives while on a peacekeeping mission in Delta State.
Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, the minister of interior
has urged the military and paramilitary to close ranks in order bolster national security efforts.
Tunji-Ojo spoke on Thursday when Christopher Musa, chief of defence staff (CDS), visited him in his office in Abuja.
Alao Babatunde, the minister’s chief press secretary, said Tunji–Ojo in a statement stressed the critical role that military personnel played in supporting Ministry-affiliated agencies during various operations.
He noted the need to bridge the existing gaps between the Ministry and the military by promoting efficient resource allocation and intelligence sharing.
“There are numerous responsibilities that I believe the nitty-gritty can be worked out in a Memorandum of Understanding MoU between our agencies and the Nigerian military, encompassing equipment, training (which entails know-how), and other operational assistance,” he said.
“I want it to be your legacy, my legacy, and above all, the legacy of the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, that the military and the Nigeria Immigration Service were able to synergize and protect our border in such a way that any internal threat can be contained internally.”
Musa lauded the minister for his decisive actions, he emphasised the need for cooperation between defense and interior ministries in addressing security issues, and reiterated the armed forces’ commitment to aid the ministry in improving internal security.
“Those days, the Defence came in because we were fighting conventional warfares, mostly country to country but now, the fight is within. We are fighting unknown actors -people you don’t know about. That makes it very critical. And, that’s why I want to assure you that we are going to collaborate with you,” he said.
In attendance are; permanent secretary, directors, and chief executives of various security agencies and other key government officials.
The session honored the soldiers who recently gave their lives in Delta state while on a peacekeeping mission.