President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Thursday held a high-level security meeting with Nigeria’s military and intelligence chiefs at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, to review ongoing operations against insurgency, banditry and kidnapping across the country.
The strategy session comes amid renewed military offensives that have reportedly led to the elimination of several terrorist commanders and the surrender of others, particularly in the Northeast and Northwest.
Those in attendance included the Minister of Defence, Mohammed Badaru Abubakar; National Security Adviser (NSA), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu; Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa; Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Olufemi Oluyede; Chief of Defence Intelligence, Major General Emmanuel Akomaye Undiandeye; Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), Ambassador Mohammed Mohammed; and Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS), Adeola Oluwatosin Ajayi.
Also present was the Special Adviser to the President on Homeland Security, Major General Adeyinka Famadewa (retd), who attended the security meeting for the first time since his appointment.
Although the Presidency has not released an official statement on the outcome of the meeting as of the time of filing this report, the security session came just two days after a major military operation against terrorists in Zamfara and Katsina states.
Troops of Operation FANSAN YAMMA, backed by the Air Component of the Joint Task Force (North West), foiled what the military described as a planned large-scale terrorist offensive. During the July 7 operation, Nigerian Air Force aircraft tracked a convoy of about 300 heavily armed terrorists travelling on motorcycles from the Sunke-Kumbo axis toward Gummi before carrying out precision airstrikes that disrupted the convoy.
Following the meeting, Senator Ali Ndume (Borno South), who also met with President Tinubu, praised the recent successes recorded by the military in the fight against insurgency.
He commended the President, the Armed Forces and other security agencies for increasing pressure on terrorists and bandits, saying the current momentum should be sustained.
According to Ndume, several terrorist leaders have been neutralised while others have surrendered due to intensified military operations.
“If this momentum is sustained, we are confident that the problem will eventually end,” the senator said.
Ndume stressed that terrorists should not be spared once identified, arguing that decisive action remains necessary to protect innocent lives. He also backed the Defence Minister’s directive that terrorists be neutralised immediately they are located.
The lawmaker further welcomed the decision by governors of the 19 Northern states to establish and fund regional security initiatives, describing the move as a vital complement to federal efforts.
He said tackling insecurity requires collaboration between the Federal Government, state governments and security agencies.
Ndume also disclosed that during his meeting with President Tinubu, he shared suggestions on addressing Nigeria’s security and economic challenges. He urged the President to communicate more regularly with Nigerians on government reforms and the nation’s security situation.