Our National Security is a Joke, says Tinubu’s Minister

Nigeria’s Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has strongly criticised how the country handles its security. He said the system is weak, underfunded, and poorly planned. In his words, “Our national security is a joke.”

Speaking on the federal government’s approach to border and national security, the minister pointed to gross underfunding and poor planning as major reasons Nigeria continues to struggle with terrorism, banditry, and internal instability.

According to Tunji-Ojo, the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) has been allocated just ₦10 billion in the 2025 budget to secure Nigeria’s massive 4,024 square kilometre border space, an amount he describes as laughable for a country battling serious cross-border threats.

“The whole budget of the Nigeria Immigration Service is about ₦10 billion. And you want to protect 4,024 sq/km of our border space; are we joking?” he said.
“If you kill one terrorist and the border is porous, 20 would come in. The military is already stretched. We need to be realistic with ourselves: do we want a system that works, or do we just want to play to the gallery?”

Police Force Is Too Dependent on Budgets

Tunji-Ojo also criticised the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) for its dependence on federal budgetary allocations, arguing that such a setup limits its ability to operate independently and effectively.

“I do not see a reason why our police should even rely on budgetary allocations,” he said.
“You have a police force that depends on capital releases and thinks it will be efficient?”

This, he said, reflects a deeper problem where critical security agencies are not equipped or empowered to function autonomously in protecting lives and property.

Misplaced Expectations and Systemic Failure

The minister noted that the over-reliance on the military for internal security is a red flag in itself, describing it as a clear sign of systemic failure.

“When we talk about internal security, the first thing that comes to a Nigerian’s mind is the military. That’s a sign of failure of our internal security institutions,” he stated.

While Tunji-Ojo praised the talents within agencies like the Department of State Services (DSS) and the leadership of the National Security Adviser (NSA), he insisted that institutional weaknesses and lack of proper coordination are holding them back from achieving their full potential.

Cybersecurity Still Stuck in the Past

In addition to border control and policing challenges, Tunji-Ojo said Nigeria’s cybersecurity setup remains outdated and disorganised. He dismissed the current ad hoc arrangements as inadequate, urging the country to implement a comprehensive framework to confront rising digital threats.

“We are still living 20 years behind in our cybersecurity approach,” he said.
“We cannot continue to run a cybersecurity architecture on an ad hoc arrangement. There must be a proper security framework.”