UNGA 81: Nigeria Seeks Global Support as Security Threats Spread Across Sahel
Nigeria has called for stronger international partnerships and a whole-of-society approach to address the country’s evolving security challenges and their wider implications for the Sahel region.
The Minister of Defence, General Christopher Gwabin Musa (retd.), made the call during a high-level side event organised by the Ministry of Defence on the margins of the 81st United Nations General Assembly 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 and Economic Community of West African States.
Musa said Nigeria’s security challenges had national, regional and global implications, stressing that sustainable security required collective action and long-term cooperation.
“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,” he said.
According to him, effective security must be built around resilient communities, strong institutions, inclusive development and good governance.
A statement signed by Leah Katung-Babatunde, Special Adviser (Media) to the Minister of Defence said the minister outlined several measures being implemented under the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to strengthen Nigeria’s security architecture.
These include the recruitment of an additional 22,000 personnel into the Armed Forces, the expansion and reorganisation of the Nigerian Army’s divisional structure, and ongoing initiatives towards the establishment of state police and dedicated forest guard arrangements.
He also disclosed that the government had secured presidential approval for a unified intelligence and reconnaissance programme designed to eliminate operational silos and improve coordination among Ministries, Departments and Agencies.
The programme, he said, would enhance situational awareness and strengthen interoperability among security and intelligence institutions.
Musa further highlighted efforts to strengthen domestic defence production through the Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria, noting that the initiative was aimed at promoting self-reliance and reducing dependence on foreign sources of military hardware.
He added that advanced technologies, including drones for real-time surveillance and improvised explosive device detection, were being integrated into the country’s security operations.
The minister also referenced the rollout of a comprehensive national criminal database as part of efforts to improve intelligence gathering, crime prevention and security coordination.
The discussion featured a panel moderated by a former Chief of Staff to the President and Minister of External Affairs, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari.
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Gambari recalled Nigeria’s concentric-circles foreign policy and urged African countries to play a more active role in shaping global frameworks, particularly in the field of artificial intelligence.
Speaking on homeland security and early warning systems, the Special Adviser on Homeland Security, Major General Adeyinka T. Famadewa (retd.), advocated intelligence fusion, integrated response capabilities and systems to protect citizens who report security threats.
A former Force Commander of the Multinational Joint Task Force, Major General A.K. Ibrahim (retd.), called for community-based border security solutions and the implementation of the Office of the National Security Adviser’s Border Management Strategy.
He also urged the revitalisation of the MNJTF and intensified efforts to disrupt terrorist taxation and financial networks.
The economic dimensions of national security also featured prominently during the discussion.
On his part, a former Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Dr Kingsley Obiora, said economic stability was a critical pillar of national security.
He proposed the establishment of designated economic zones, modelled partly on Colombia’s experience, to promote business recovery and economic activity in conflict-affected areas.
Similarly, Prof. Mvemba Phezo Dizolele of Johns Hopkins University cautioned African countries against adopting external security templates without considering their local realities.
He advocated the development of context-specific solutions designed and implemented by African communities.
A cybersecurity expert, Mr Omosigho Ozo-Eson, warned against excessive dependence on foreign artificial intelligence systems, stressing the need to protect Nigeria’s critical national infrastructure and develop indigenous cyber-defence capabilities.
In his closing remarks, Musa reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to combating terrorism and banditry while acknowledging the importance of defence cooperation with international partners, including the United States.
He, however, stressed the need for African countries to increasingly finance and sustain their regional security frameworks.
According to him, while mechanisms such as the MNJTF receive support from international partners, including the European Union, African member states must strengthen their ownership of regional security arrangements.
“Regional mechanisms like the MNJTF receive support from foreign partners like the EU, but African member states must increasingly finance and sustain their security frameworks to guarantee regional ownership,” he said.
The minister also highlighted government efforts to improve legal frameworks, protect health workers operating in high-risk areas and create a stable business environment capable of attracting investment.
Musa said the objective of the international engagement should go beyond restating the challenges confronting Nigeria and the Sahel.
“Our objective should be straightforward. 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,” he said.
Earlier in her welcome address, the Director Overseeing the Office of the Permanent Secretary, Mrs Bosede Olaniyi, called for robust discussions that would produce meaningful outcomes for national development.
By PRNigeria
