ABUJA — President Bola Tinubu on Wednesday summoned Nigeria’s top security chiefs to an emergency meeting at the Presidential Villa following a spate of deadly attacks across Benue, Plateau, and Kwara states that claimed dozens of lives.
Though no official communique was issued after the closed-door session, National Security Adviser (NSA) Nuhu Ribadu revealed that the President issued fresh directives to halt the violence. “Mr. President is deeply concerned and insisted that enough is enough,” Ribadu stated. “We are working to restore peace and security.”
The meeting, which lasted several hours, was attended by the Chief of Defence Staff, General Chris Musa, and other key security leaders including the heads of the DSS, NIA, Police Intelligence, and Defence Intelligence. Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, was also present.
Meanwhile, the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt General Olufemi Oluyede, has ordered troops to eliminate a newly-emerged terrorist group, known as Mahmouda, operating in Kaiama and Baruten Local Councils of Kwara State within one month.
Speaking to troops at Sobi Barracks in Ilorin, Oluyede urged swift action to prevent the group from evolving into a new insurgency like Boko Haram. “You must push them out of those forests,” he told the soldiers.
In Zamfara, fresh attacks by suspected bandits on Tuesday rocked Zurmi, Tsafe, and Talata Mafara Local Councils. Multiple villagers were killed and many abducted in the coordinated assaults. Among the victims were two security personnel ambushed while en route to a court hearing in Gusau.
Security reinforcements have been deployed to stabilise the affected communities.
In a related move, state governors gathered in Abuja ahead of today’s National Economic Council (NEC) meeting, where worsening insecurity and state policing are expected to top the agenda. All 36 states and the FCT had previously supported the creation of state police, and the National Assembly is currently working on legal frameworks to make it a reality.
