Stakeholders at the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) National Security Summit have called for a stronger partnership between the media and security agencies, insisting that Nigeria’s growing security challenges require a coordinated response built on trust, professionalism and effective communication.
The summit, organised by the NUJ in collaboration with the Department of State Services (DSS), ended in Abuja on Friday with participants recommending institutionalised dialogue between journalists and security agencies, improved funding for security institutions and increased investment in social interventions to address the root causes of insecurity.
The two-day summit, themed “Media and Security Agencies as Partners in Nation Building,” brought together media executives, journalists, heads of security and intelligence agencies, government officials, academics, civil society organisations, women’s groups and development partners.
In his opening remarks, NUJ National President, Comrade Alhassan Yahaya Abdullahi, described the summit as a timely response to Nigeria’s complex security realities.
He said the country was grappling with terrorism, banditry, kidnapping, cybercrime, violent extremism, misinformation, communal conflicts and separatist agitations.
“National security is a shared responsibility requiring coordinated action among all stakeholders,” Abdullahi said.
He stressed that ethical, accurate and responsible journalism remained critical to promoting national unity, accountability and stability.
Chairman of the occasion and Minister of Information and National Orientation, Alhaji Mohammed Idris, underscored the complementary roles of the media and security agencies in nation-building.
According to him, while security agencies are constitutionally mandated to protect lives, property and Nigeria’s sovereignty, the media serves as a watchdog, educator and bridge between the government and citizens.
He advocated stronger trust and professionalism between both institutions and reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to intelligence-driven operations, inter-agency collaboration, military modernisation and community-based approaches to addressing insecurity.
Delivering a keynote presentation titled “The Media as an Impact Multiplier in Military Operations and National Development,” Professor Okey Ikechukwu described the media as a “force multiplier” in security operations.
He noted that public understanding and cooperation were essential for the success and legitimacy of modern security operations.
“Communication gaps often create space for harmful narratives, making strategic communication essential to contemporary security operations,” he said.
Also speaking, President of the International Press Institute (IPI) Nigeria, Mr Musikilu Mojeed, examined the relationship between press freedom and national security, arguing that both were indispensable pillars of democracy.
“Press freedom and national security are mutually reinforcing pillars of democracy, and tensions between them should be addressed through dialogue, professional accountability and due process rather than coercion or intimidation,” he said.
President of the Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ), Aisha Ibrahim, highlighted the strategic role of women in peacebuilding and conflict prevention.
She called for greater inclusion of women in security governance and decision-making processes at all levels.
A major highlight of the summit was the decision by the NUJ to honour the Director-General of the DSS, Mr Adeola Oluwatosin Ajayi, for what participants described as his commitment to strengthening relations between the media and security institutions.
The communiqué noted that under Ajayi’s leadership, the DSS had promoted constructive engagement with media stakeholders and encouraged dialogue and partnership in the national interest.
Participants observed that Nigeria continued to face multidimensional security threats and stressed that sustainable security required a whole-of-society approach integrating strategic communication, socio-economic development and inclusive governance.
They further noted that misinformation and disinformation posed serious threats to public trust and social cohesion, while unemployment, poverty and drug abuse continued to fuel insecurity.
Among its resolutions, the summit recommended regular engagement between media organisations and security agencies, proactive communication by security institutions to counter misinformation, and strengthened ethical standards and fact-checking by media organisations.
It also urged the government to increase investment in education, youth empowerment and social protection programmes, systematically integrate women into peacebuilding structures, formalise community-based security systems and early warning mechanisms, and intensify anti-drug campaigns.
The summit further called on state governments to improve funding and institutional support for state-owned media organisations while preserving editorial independence and ethical standards.
It also appealed to the Federal Government to increase budgetary allocations to the Armed Forces, the Nigeria Police Force, intelligence agencies and other security institutions to enhance operational capacity through modern technology, intelligence systems and improved logistics.
In its concluding remarks, the summit expressed appreciation to the DSS leadership for partnering with the NUJ to organise what participants described as a landmark initiative.
It reaffirmed that national security remained a collective responsibility and that sustainable peace and development in Nigeria depended on partnerships anchored on trust, transparency, accountability and the national interest.