President Bola Tinubu on Monday convened an emergency security meeting with top military and intelligence chiefs at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, amid growing concerns over Nigeria’s security situation.
The high-level meeting, held behind closed doors at Aso Rock Presidential Villa, brought together key figures in the nation’s security architecture. In attendance were the Chief of Defence Staff, General Olufemi Oluyede; the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Waidi Shaibu; Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Idi Abbas; and the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Anele.
Also present were the Director-General of the Department of State Services, Oluwatosin Ajayi; Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency, Ambassador Mohammed Mohammed; Inspector-General of Police Tunji Disu; and the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu.
Although details of the deliberations were not made public, the meeting comes against the backdrop of rising security challenges across the country. These include insurgency in the North-East, banditry and kidnappings in the North-West and North-Central regions, and separatist unrest in parts of the South-East.
The development also follows a recent advisory issued by the United States Department of State, which authorized the voluntary departure of non-essential embassy staff and their families from Abuja, citing a deteriorating security environment. The advisory further placed several Nigerian states under a “Level 4: Do Not Travel” warning.
In response, the Federal Government dismissed concerns of a nationwide breakdown in law and order. The Minister of Information, Mohammed Idris, described the advisory as routine, maintaining that most parts of the country remain stable despite isolated incidents.
The meeting is also believed to have addressed the aftermath of a recent Nigerian Air Force airstrike in Borno State, particularly around Jilli Market near the Yobe border. The operation, which targeted suspected insurgent locations linked to Boko Haram, reportedly resulted in civilian casualties, although the military has yet to confirm this.
While the Nigerian Air Force described the mission as a precision strike against terrorist elements, the Presidency defended the action, stating that the area had evolved into a logistics base for insurgents, thereby making it a legitimate military target.
The emergency session underscores the increasing pressure on Nigeria’s security institutions as the country grapples with multiple threats across different regions.
