The Minister of Defence, Gen. Christopher Musa (rtd.), has called for greater African ownership and funding of regional security operations to end terrorism and cross-border crimes.
He said countries on the continent must increasingly take responsibility for sustaining mechanisms established to combat terrorism and other transnational threats.
Musa said this at a high-level security discussion organised by the Ministry of Defence on the margins of the 81st United Nations General Assembly (UNGA 81) High-Level Week in New York.
The discussion, titled ‘Confronting Nigeria’s Multidimensional Security Challenges: A Whole-of-Society and Partnership-Based Approach,’ brought together diplomats, security practitioners and representatives of the United Nations, African Union and ECOWAS.
The panel also examined homeland security and early warning, economic security, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence and the need for African countries to develop security solutions suited to their specific circumstances.
The call for greater regional ownership formed part of a broader discussion on Nigeria’s multidimensional security challenges, with participants advocating stronger intelligence cooperation, improved border management, economic recovery in conflict-affected communities and greater investment in indigenous security capabilities.
In a statement on Thursday, his Media Adviser, Leah Katung-Babatunde, stressed the need for African member states to provide increased funding and support for regional mechanisms such as the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF), even as Nigeria continues to value defence cooperation with international partners.
Musa said although the MNJTF had benefited from support from foreign partners, including the European Union, African countries must ensure that the regional security architecture does not become overly dependent on external assistance.
He said, ‘While regional mechanisms like the MNJTF receive support from foreign partners like the EU, African member states must increasingly finance and sustain their security frameworks to guarantee regional ownership.’
Musa said Nigeria’s security challenges had national, regional and global implications, making sustained cooperation among countries and international organisations essential to confronting terrorism, banditry and other emerging threats.
‘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.
Musa also reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to eradicating terrorism and banditry, while commending what he described as productive defence cooperation with international partners, including the United States.
The Minister said sustainable security could not be achieved through military operations alone, stressing the importance of resilient communities, effective institutions, inclusive development and good governance.
‘Sustainable security requires resilient communities, effective institutions, inclusive development, and good governance,’ Musa said.
He said the objective of the engagement was to move beyond discussions towards concrete cooperation and clearly defined responsibilities.
‘Our objective should be straightforward,’ he 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.’
The Defence Minister highlighted the Federal Government’s measures to strengthen national security, including increased military recruitment, Army restructuring, state police and forest guards, unified intelligence operations, enhanced domestic defence production, drone technology for surveillance and IED detection, and a national criminal database.
Other speakers at the event called for stronger intelligence fusion, community-based border security, protection of critical national infrastructure and measures to disrupt terrorist taxation and financial networks.
Maj.-Gen. Adeyinka Famadewa (Rtd.), Special Adviser on Homeland Security, advocated integrated response capabilities and citizen-reporting protection systems to improve early warning and enable authorities to anticipate emerging threats.
A former Force Commander of the MNJTF, Maj.-Gen. Khalifa Ibrahim (Rtd.), called for revitalising the regional force, implementing the Office of the National Security Adviser’s Border Management Strategy, and using community-based approaches to securing Nigeria’s borders.
Ibrahim also advocated stronger action against terrorist taxation and financial networks, which he identified as critical to weakening the operational capacity of terrorist groups.
Former Central Bank of Nigeria Deputy Governor, Dr. Kingsley Obiora, described economic stability as a core component of national security and proposed designated economic zones to accelerate recovery in conflict-affected areas.
Prof. Ibrahim Gambari, former Chief of Staff to the President and Minister of External Affairs, who moderated the discussion, recalled Nigeria’s concentric-circles foreign policy and stressed the need for Africa to position itself as an active contributor to global frameworks, particularly in Artificial Intelligence (AI).
Prof. Mvemba Phezo Dizolele of Johns Hopkins University urged African countries to develop security solutions suited to their local realities rather than relying on externally designed models, while cybersecurity expert Omosigho Ozo-Eson warned against excessive dependence on foreign artificial intelligence systems.