A 2-day National Security Summit ended in Abuja on Friday, June 19, 2026 with a resolve by participants to work for an enhanced mutual trust, sustained engagement between journalists and security agencies, professionalism, and responsible information management needed as ingredients in advancing Nigeria’s peace, security and development objectives.
The National summit which was organised by the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), in collaboration with the Department of State Services (DSS), attracted participants from across the states of the federation, including former Presidents, National Secretaries and National officers, also stressed the need for stronger collaboration between journalists and security organisations as part of efforts to enhance national security and promote peace and stability across Nigeria.
While declaring the summit open on Thursday, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mr. Mohammed Idris, emphasised collective action on security, saying that the security challenge facing the nation has become a global challenge.
Idris particularly tasked media organisations to avoid giving headlines to insurgents and terrorists, stressing that the non state actors feed on the free publicity they get from the media.
The information minister noted that overcoming the challenges required collective responsibility from all stakeholders, adding that the media, as the watchdog of society, must sustain a strong working relationship with security agencies if Nigeria is to attain a peaceful, prosperous, and greater country.
Taking a look at the theme of the summit; “Media and Security Agencies as Partners in Nation Building,” Idris noted that the gathering was timely given the increasingly complex security threats facing the country, including terrorism, violent extremism, organised crime and disinformation campaigns.
He therefore challenged journalists to uphold professionalism and ethical standards in reporting security-related matters, stressing that misinformation and fake news could undermine national security operations and public confidence.
Earlier in his address, the President of the NUJ, Comrade Alhassan Yahya Abdullahi, explained that the security summit marked one of his campaign promises to NUJ members, stressing that the NUJ under his leadership is keeping faith with the Union’s commitments.
According to Yahya; “We promised to engage stakeholders on critical national issues, and this summit is proof of that commitment”.
The NUJ President called for sustained dialogue, responsible reporting, and closer synergy between the press and security agencies in the interest of national security.
Participants at the National Summit noted that combating terrorism, banditry, kidnapping, cybercrime, misinformation and other emerging threats requires a whole-of-society approach that goes beyond military operations.
This was as they highlighted the critical role of strategic communication, responsible journalism and public trust in strengthening national security efforts.
