Building Trust: Idris Lauds DSS-Media Relations, Seeks Same from Police for National Security

The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris on Thursday praised the Department of State Services (DSS) for professionalism and a strengthened relationship with Nigerian journalists, noting that no reporter has been arrested or detained by the agency in the last 18 months.

He also urged the Nigeria Police Force and other security agencies to sustain civil-media engagement as a key pillar of national security.

Idris spoke at the opening of a 2-day National Security Summit in Abuja, organised by the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ).

Citing NUJ National President, Alhassan Yahya’s proclamation on smooth relationship with the DSS in his speech earlier, the minister said the union recorded zero cases of journalist arrest or imprisonment by the DSS in approximately 18 months.

He tasked on journalists on thorough fact finding before disseminating  their information with regards to national interest of the country.

He said “The best reporter and the best editor are those who know what not to report in the interest of nation-building. Nobody is calling for censorship, but we must remember that we have a country to protect,” Idris said.

He described the improved DSS-media relationship as a security dividend, arguing that trust between intelligence agencies and the press reduces friction and improves information flow during counter-terrorism, anti-banditry and anti-kidnapping operations.

While commending the DSS, Idris called for greater recognition of sacrifices by all security personnel, including the Nigeria Police Force, who work daily to combat terrorism, banditry, kidnapping and other crimes.

He urged the Police and sister agencies to mirror the DSS model of professionalism and dialogue with journalists to avoid confrontations that undermine public confidence in security operations.

According to him National security is not the responsibility of security agencies alone but it  requires the collective efforts of government institutions, the media, civil society, and citizens working together.

The minister said the Tinubu administration is combining kinetic military operations with socio-economic interventions to address root causes of violence.

He cited investments in youth empowerment, infrastructure, education and social programmes, including the Nigerian Education Loan Fund, NELFund, which has benefited over 1.3 million students.

“President Tinubu’s vision is that no qualified Nigerian student should be denied education because of lack of funds,” Idris said.

Earlier, the NUJ President Alhassan Yahya during  his opening remark stressed that the summit a historic platform to strengthen cooperation between journalists and security institutions, including the DSS, Police, NSCDC and  Military.

He said the engagement fulfills his 2024 pledge to create dialogue channels between media practitioners and national security agencies.

Yahya noted Nigeria still faces terrorism, banditry, kidnapping, cybercrime, misinformation, violent extremism and separatist agitations, making stronger media-security partnerships imperative.

He emphasized that journalists’ constitutional obligation lies on providing accurate, balanced and responsible reporting that supports national cohesion and democratic stability, while urging security agencies to protect press freedom and avoid actions that intimidate reporters.

The NUJ president expressed optimism that the summit recommendations would deepen trust, improve mutual understanding, and strengthen operational cooperation between media professionals, the DSS, Police and other security agencies.

He also tasked on the Federal and state governments to review the enumeration of journalists thereby creating a better welfare for media practitioners.