Tinubu meets intelligence, security chiefs, gives mandate to tackle insecurity
President Bola Tinubu,(Photo by Kola SULAIMON / AFP)
• Says new administration won’t condone working at cross purposes
• Appeal Court President calls for fervent prayers to end killings
President Bola Tinubu, yesterday, met with the nation’s security apparatchik at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, where he gave marching orders to heads of security agencies in the country to redouble efforts in dealing with the menace of terrorism, insurgency, banditry, oil theft, sea robbery and piracy among others that have conspired to weigh down the nation.
At the meeting where he unveiled his security philosophy, Tinubu, who decried the declining security in the country, said he would not allow insecurity challenges to bring Nigeria to its knees while other countries are advancing.
He also said he will not accept a situation in which the nation’s fortunes continue to dwindle, as his administration is determined to build on whatever gains that have so far been made.
Briefing newsmen at the end of the two hours meeting tagged: General Security Appraisal Committee, the National Security Adviser (NSA), Maj. Gen. Babagana Monguno (rtd) quoted Tinubu as saying that the new administration is determined to turn the tide of insecurity besetting the country.
To this end, he said the President mandated security agencies in the country to work together towards achieving set objectives, adding that “working at cross purposes and colliding with each other, is not something that the new administration will condone.”
He explained that the President further directed security agencies to comply with the demands of coordination, imbibe frequent consultation and timely reports, which must be acted on.
“He is going to embark on a lot of reforms in terms of our security architecture, he will take a closer look at our misfortunes in the maritime domain focusing particularly on the issues of oil theft, which he is not going to tolerate. Wherever the problem is coming from, it must be crushed as soon as possible.
“He has already mandated the security agencies to come up with a blueprint. As far as he knows, he doesn’t have the luxury of time and whatever changes will be made, have to be done as soon as possible.
“The president also has decided that whatever ventures the armed forces are going to engage in, they must carry along those operatives in the theatre, they must be well fed, well catered for, motivated and given all that they require. The president has said he will do whatever that is within his powers to enable them.”
Earlier, before departing the State House, the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Lucky Irabor, said the security chiefs received new instructions on how the President wants security to be pursued, assuring that the team was already inspired to carry out the new tasks.
Among those who attended the meeting were Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Farouk Yahaya; Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Awwal Gambo; Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Isiaka Amao, and the Inspector-General of Police, Usman Alkali Baba.
Others were Director-General of the Department of State Service (DSS), Yusuf Bichi; and Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), Ahmed Rufai Abubakar.
The meeting is Tinubu’s first official engagement with heads of the nation’s security and intelligence agencies since he assumed office on Monday. He had earlier on Wednesday met with the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Abdulrasheed Bawa.
MEANWHILE, the President, Court of Appeal, Justice Monica Dongban-Mensem, has called on Nigerians to pray fervently to God to bring an end to incessant and reckless killing of innocent citizens in the country. Mensem made the call during a condolence visit at the residence of Justice Jummai Sankey over the death of her husband, Dr Yakubu Sankey.
Recall that terrorists assassinated Sankey, a one-time Acting Director of the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), Jos, last week in Southern Kaduna.
The Court of Appeal President described the death of Sankey as a huge loss, “not only to his immediate family, the people of Kaduna, but to the entire country.” She urged the family to accept the unfortunate incident as the will of God.
Speaking to journalists after signing the condolence register, Justice Dongban-Mensem said: “The entire judiciary is saddened over the unfortunate incident. However, we are children of peace, we are children of faith. So, I would appeal to the family to receive what has happened in good faith.
“We need to pray that God should strengthen the family at this moment of grief. We must also pray for our nation that the wasting of innocent lives should come to an end.”
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