By Julius Peter, Abuja

Nigeria has called for a comprehensive, partnership-driven and whole-of-society approach to tackling the country’s multidimensional security challenges, stressing that the evolving threats confronting the nation require stronger cooperation at national, regional and international levels.

The Minister of Defence, General Christopher Gwabin Musa (Rtd), made the call during a high-level side event organised by the Federal Ministry of Defence on the margins of the 81st United Nations General Assembly (UNGA 81) High-Level Week in New York.

The event, themed “Confronting Nigeria’s Multidimensional Security Challenges: A Whole-of-Society and Partnership-Based Approach,” brought together diplomats, security experts and representatives of the United Nations, African Union (AU) and Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

Musa said Nigeria’s security challenges had consequences that extended beyond its borders, making international and regional partnerships essential to achieving sustainable peace and stability.

He said the complexity of contemporary security threats meant that no country could effectively address them in isolation, stressing that collective action remained critical to confronting terrorism, banditry, transnational crime, border insecurity, cyber threats and other emerging challenges.

“Our recognition that we cannot address these challenges alone is not a statement of dependence; rather, it is an acknowledgement of the multidimensional character of modern security threats and the importance of collective action,” the minister said.

According to him, sustainable security goes beyond military operations and requires resilient communities, effective institutions, inclusive development and good governance.

Musa outlined a number of measures being implemented by the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to strengthen Nigeria’s security architecture.

Among the measures, he disclosed, was the recruitment of an additional 22,000 personnel into the Armed Forces, alongside the expansion and reorganisation of the Nigerian Army’s divisional structure.

He also highlighted ongoing efforts towards the establishment of state police and dedicated forest guard arrangements aimed at improving security in rural and border communities.

The minister said the government was also implementing a presidentially approved unified intelligence and reconnaissance programme designed to eliminate operational silos and improve coordination among Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs).

According to him, the programme is expected to enhance situational awareness and interoperability among security and intelligence institutions.

Musa further identified domestic defence production as a critical component of Nigeria’s long-term security strategy, noting that the government was supporting the Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria (DICON) to strengthen local capacity and reduce dependence on external sources of military equipment.

He also cited the integration of advanced technologies, including drones for real-time surveillance and Improvised Explosive Device (IED) detection, as part of efforts to improve the operational capabilities of the security agencies.

The minister said the rollout of a comprehensive national criminal database was another important component of the government’s broader security efforts.

The discussion also focused extensively on intelligence gathering, early warning systems and border management.

Major General Adeyinka T. Famadewa (Rtd), Special Adviser on Homeland Security, called for stronger intelligence fusion and integrated response capabilities to enable security agencies to identify and respond to threats before they escalate.

He also advocated stronger systems for protecting citizens who provide security-related information, saying effective citizen reporting could contribute significantly to early warning and threat prevention.

Another panelist, Major General A.K. Ibrahim (Rtd), former Force Commander of the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF), called for community-based approaches to border management.

He urged the implementation of the Office of the National Security Adviser’s Border Management Strategy and the revitalisation of the MNJTF.

Ibrahim also called for intensified efforts to disrupt terrorist taxation and financial networks, which he identified as important sources of funding for violent extremist groups.

The forum also examined the relationship between economic stability and national security.

Dr Kingsley Obiora, former Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, argued that economic security should be treated as a core pillar of national security.

He proposed the establishment of designated economic zones, drawing lessons from Colombia, as a means of stimulating business recovery and economic activity in areas affected by conflict.

Obiora’s submission underscored the importance of economic opportunities, investment and livelihoods in complementing security operations and strengthening the resilience of communities affected by insecurity.

Prof. Mvemba Phezo Dizolele of Johns Hopkins University urged African countries to develop security responses that reflect their own circumstances rather than relying exclusively on externally designed models.

He cautioned against the wholesale adoption of external templates, stressing the need for solutions developed around the realities and needs of African populations.

Similarly, cybersecurity expert Mr Omosigho Ozo-Eson warned against excessive dependence on foreign artificial intelligence systems.

He stressed the need to protect Nigeria’s Critical National Infrastructure and develop indigenous cyber-defence capabilities as the country increasingly integrates digital technologies into national systems.

The panel was moderated by Prof. Ibrahim Gambari, former Chief of Staff to the President and former Minister of External Affairs.

Gambari recalled Nigeria’s traditional concentric-circles approach to foreign policy and stressed the importance of Nigeria and other African countries playing more active roles in shaping global frameworks.

He particularly highlighted the need for Africa to strengthen its participation in the development and governance of Artificial Intelligence (AI), given the technology’s growing implications for security, development and international relations.

In his closing remarks, Musa reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to eliminating terrorism and banditry, while acknowledging the importance of cooperation with international partners.

He commended the defence cooperation between Nigeria and the United States, as well as support provided by international partners to regional security initiatives.

The minister, however, stressed the importance of greater African ownership of regional security mechanisms.

He noted that while mechanisms such as the MNJTF had benefited from support from external partners, including the European Union, African member states needed to increasingly finance and sustain their own regional security frameworks.

According to him, stronger domestic and regional ownership would be critical to ensuring the sustainability of security initiatives across the continent.

Musa also pointed to government efforts to strengthen legal frameworks, protect vulnerable health workers operating in high-risk areas and create a more stable business environment capable of attracting investment.

He said the objective of the international engagement should be to move beyond discussions and translate agreements into practical action.

“Our objective should be straightforward,” the minister said. “We should not merely reaffirm our understanding of the challenges; we should seek to identify concrete areas of cooperation, clear responsibilities, and practical next steps.”

Earlier in her welcome address, the Director Overseeing the Office of the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Defence, Mrs Bosede Olaniyi, welcomed participants to the high-level engagement and called for robust deliberations that would produce meaningful outcomes for Nigeria’s national development.

The discussions in New York reflect Nigeria’s effort to broaden its security strategy beyond conventional military responses by placing greater emphasis on intelligence sharing, community resilience, economic recovery, technology, governance, domestic defence production and international cooperation.

The Ministry of Defence said its mandate includes maintaining Nigeria’s territorial integrity, safeguarding the country’s borders and protecting national interests through effective military operations, strategic defence partnerships and sustainable security governance.

The UNGA 81 side event therefore provided an international platform for Nigeria to articulate its evolving security priorities while seeking stronger partnerships to address threats affecting the country and the wider Sahel region.