By Joy Onu
The Federal Ministry of Interior has reiterated its commitment to strengthening bilateral cooperation with Poland, particularly in immigration management, border control, internal security, correctional services, and emergency response systems.
The Honourable Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, made the remarks during a courtesy visit by the Polish Ambassador to Nigeria, Michal Cygan, and the Deputy Head of Mission, Mr. Maciej Klosak. The development was made known in a statement issued to the media by Mary Ali (Mrs.), Head, Press and Public Relations, Ministry of Interior, highlighting the Ministry’s readiness to explore institutional collaboration and technical cooperation with Poland.
Speaking on the visit, Tunji-Ojo expressed appreciation for the opportunity to share experiences and learn from Poland’s institutional reforms. He noted that drawing lessons from countries that have navigated similar paths would allow Nigeria to mirror successful processes while avoiding potential pitfalls. “It shows that perhaps you have walked the path that we are walking now, so we can mirror your processes and avoid your pitfalls,” the Minister said, adding, “We are grateful for your visit and for the openness to collaborate.”
The Minister stressed the importance of practical engagement, including study visits and technical exchanges, to develop solutions in key operational areas. These include immigration and border control systems, internal security mechanisms, correctional services administration, and emergency response and firefighting capabilities. According to him, there are significant opportunities for knowledge transfer, institutional strengthening, and technical cooperation across these sectors.
“We need to arrange this as soon as possible,” Tunji-Ojo emphasized, proposing a structured engagement between the Ministry and the Embassy to identify priority areas for collaboration, anticipate potential high-risk challenges, and build frameworks for sustainable cooperation.
Ambassador Cygan highlighted reforms and innovations implemented within Polish institutions over the past year, emphasizing the value of sharing insights and best practices. “This is not a distant historical experience for us,” he noted. “It is the lived experience of our generation. We understand the value of hard work, the demands of development, economic reform, institutional growth, and the challenges that accompany rapid growth.”
Both sides agreed that enhanced cooperation would strengthen institutional capacity, improve Nigeria’s internal security architecture, and promote more effective service delivery to citizens. The meeting concluded with a shared commitment to advancing bilateral engagement in the spirit of mutual benefit and strategic partnership.
