The Federal Government has emphasised the need for stronger regional collaboration to tackle the influx of terrorist elements from the Sahel into Nigeria, particularly in the North-East.

Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, stated this on Thursday in Abuja while receiving the Chairman of the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB), Abdullahi Usman Bello, during a courtesy visit.

Idris said the growing cross-border nature of insecurity makes it imperative for Nigeria to deepen engagement with neighbouring countries.

“As we speak, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is engaging with the President of Chad. Some of these criminal elements come in from the Sahel, especially in the northeastern part of this country. Fighting cross-border crime is not a one-country affair,” Idris noted.

The minister stated that the government was taking steps to address security challenges, including high-level engagements with security agencies and international partners, stressing that protecting lives and property remains a priority.

He also reaffirmed the country’s commitment to unity and religious freedom, warning against the activities of extremist groups.

“We have situations where we have extremists who attempt to force people into their own thinking, taking up arms, attacking people. This is very, very unfortunate,” he said.

Beyond security, the meeting focused on strengthening collaboration between the ministry and the CCB to promote transparency, accountability, and ethical conduct in public service.

Idris said many Nigerians still have limited understanding of the bureau’s mandate, often associating it only with asset declaration and enforcement.

“CCB is not about going to arrest or catch people when they are committing offences. Their duty is to ensure that these offences don’t even happen in the first place,” he said.

The Minister stressed the need for sustained public enlightenment, noting that awareness and enforcement must go hand in hand in tackling corruption and misconduct.

He assured the bureau of the ministry’s support through its agencies, including the National Orientation Agency, the Nigerian Television Authority and the News Agency of Nigeria, to amplify its activities and deepen public engagement.

He also urged public officers to comply with asset declaration requirements, warning that ignorance would not excuse violations.

“Go and make sure that you properly declare your assets… otherwise, you’ll be on the wrong side of the law,” he said.

Earlier, the CBB Chairman, Bello said the visit was aimed at building synergy with the ministry to strengthen public awareness of the bureau’s activities and promote ethical standards in governance.

He identified key areas for collaboration, including nationwide sensitisation campaigns, joint training programmes, media engagement, and the co-creation of public awareness content.

“By combining CCB’s enforcement expertise with the Ministry’s strong communication and mobilisation reach, we can significantly strengthen ethical conduct in public service in Nigeria,” he said.