By Staff Reporter 

The Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, and the Department of State Services, DSS, have called for structured, regular engagement between media organisations and security agencies as a key strategy to tackle Nigeria’s complex security challenges and curb the spread of misinformation.

The call was contained in a communiqué issued Friday at the end of a 2-day National Security Summit in Abuja, held June 18–19, 2026, on the theme: “Media and Security Agencies as Partners in Nation Building.”

The summit, organised by NUJ in collaboration with DSS, brought together media executives, journalists, heads of security and intelligence agencies, government officials, academics, civil society groups, women’s organisations, and development partners.

In his welcome address, NUJ National President, Comrade Alhassan Yahaya Abdullahi, described the summit as a timely intervention against terrorism, banditry, kidnapping, cybercrime, violent extremism, misinformation, and other hybrid threats.

“National security is a shared responsibility requiring coordinated action among all stakeholders. Ethical, accurate, and responsible journalism is critical to promoting national unity, accountability, and stability,” Abdullahi said.

Chairing the occasion, Minister of Information and National Orientation, Alhaji Mohammed Idris, said while security agencies safeguard lives and sovereignty, the media serves as a watchdog, public educator, and bridge between government and citizens.

He reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to intelligence-driven operations, inter-agency collaboration, and community-based approaches to insecurity.

Presenters at the summit stressed the media’s role as a “force multiplier” in military operations.

Prof. Okey Ikechukwu argued that modern security management requires public understanding and strategic communication to close narrative gaps exploited by harmful actors.

IPI Nigeria President, Mr. Musikilu Mojeed, noted that press freedom and national security are “mutually reinforcing pillars of democracy” that should be balanced through dialogue and due process, not coercion.

NAWOJ President, Aisha Ibrahim, called for greater inclusion of women in security governance and early warning systems, describing them as vital but underutilised resources in peacebuilding.

A major highlight was the NUJ’s decision to confer an award of recognition on DSS Director-General, Mr. Adeola Oluwatosin Ajayi, mni, for his leadership in fostering engagement between security institutions and the media.

The union said Ajayi’s openness to dialogue and partnership has helped create a more conducive atmosphere for cooperation in the national interest.

Participants observed that Nigeria’s security challenges require a whole-of-society approach, and that weak communication channels between media and security institutions often escalate tensions.

They resolved that: 

1. *Institutionalised Dialogue*: Structured mechanisms for regular engagement between media and security agencies should be established. 

2. *Proactive Communication*: Security agencies must adopt timely, transparent communication to counter misinformation and build public trust. 

3. *Ethical Reinforcement*: Media houses should strengthen fact-checking and uphold ethical standards in security reporting. 

4. *Capacity Building*: Regular joint training for journalists and security communication officers should be instituted. 

5. *Gender Inclusion*: Women should be systematically integrated into security governance and peacebuilding structures. 

6. *Social Investment*: Government should increase investment in education, youth empowerment, and social protection to address root causes of insecurity. 

7. *Enhanced Security Funding*: The Federal Government should increase budgetary allocation to the Armed Forces, Police, and intelligence services for modern technology and logistics.

The summit also urged state governments to fund state-owned media while protecting editorial independence, and called for intensified anti-drug campaigns involving NDLEA, religious bodies, and schools.

The communiqué, signed by NUJ President Comrade Alhassan Yahaya Abdullahi and drafted by Shu’aibu Usman Leman, Abdulrazak Bello Kaura, and Ayuku Pwaspo, concluded that sustainable peace in Nigeria depends on partnership anchored on trust, transparency, constitutionalism, and accountability.