By Zainab Bakare
The Minister of Defence, General Christopher Musa (Rtd), has assured Nigerians in the diaspora that the Federal Government is strengthening national security to make the country safer and encourage citizens abroad to visit home with confidence.
Musa gave the assurance during an interactive meeting with members of the Nigerian community in Angola on the sidelines of the 21st Extraordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the African Union in Luanda.
According to a statement by the Special Assistant (Media) to the Minister of Defence, Leah Katung-Babatunde, the Nigerian delegation to the AU Summit was led by Vice President Kashim Shettima, who represented President Bola Tinubu.
The meeting provided an opportunity for Nigerian government officials to engage directly with members of the diaspora community, listen to their concerns and provide updates on efforts to improve security and governance at home.
Musa thanked Nigerians in Angola for maintaining a cordial relationship with the country’s diplomatic mission, assuring them that the Tinubu administration remained committed to confronting security threats across Nigeria.
He said the Federal Government was strengthening the manpower, capacity and operational effectiveness of the Armed Forces and other security agencies as part of a broader strategy to improve national security.
“Every sector is receiving targeted interventions to enhance our national security framework,” the Defence Minister said.
Musa noted that instability across the Sahel region remained a major concern, warning that conflicts in neighbouring countries could spill across Nigeria’s borders.
He said the government was therefore implementing comprehensive border management measures aimed at preventing infiltration and strengthening the country’s territorial security.
The minister also reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to deploying reliable data for national security planning and development, adding that efforts to restore lasting peace and stability across the country were ongoing.
Also speaking, the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, highlighted improvements in data protection and identity management, saying stronger collaboration among security agencies was already yielding positive results.
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, assured Nigerians living abroad that the commission would continue to promote their welfare and create opportunities for them to contribute to national development.
Other officials at the meeting included the Acting Chargé d’Affaires of the Nigerian Mission in Angola, Ambassador Maxy Ogbede.
The engagement formed part of the Federal Government’s broader efforts to strengthen ties with Nigerians in the diaspora while addressing concerns about security, welfare and national development.
