President Bola Tinubu on Thursday held a nearly two-hour security meeting with service chiefs and the Inspector-General of Police at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
The meeting marked the first such engagement since Tunji Disu assumed office as Inspector-General of Police. The security chiefs arrived at the Villa without their usual official vehicles and left the premises around 5:10 pm after the closed-door session with the President.
The discussions come amid rising security concerns across the country, particularly the recent killings of military commanding officers in various theatres of operation.
In the past week alone, the military reportedly lost at least three commanding officers leading forward operating bases following a surge in attacks on security formations and personnel. The attacks have been especially intense in the North-East, where Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) insurgents have stepped up assaults on military positions.
Among the recent incidents was an attack on Ngoshe in Borno State that led to abductions, alongside separate assaults on Konduga, Marte, Jakana, and Mainok.
The development had earlier drawn responses from both President Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima, who pledged decisive action to end the insurgency.
During an Iftar dinner with service chiefs on March 6, Tinubu assured the military of his administration’s commitment to defeating terrorism.
“Nigeria will defeat terrorism despite these attacks. We will not bow to insurgents,” the President said.
Vice President Shettima also declared that the administration would deploy overwhelming force to end the insurgency.
Thursday’s meeting was also the first formal engagement between the President, the service chiefs and the new police chief since Disu’s appointment on February 28, 2026, following the resignation of his predecessor.
As of the time of filing this report, details of the deliberations had not been made public, though sources indicated that the discussions likely focused on the recent spike in attacks on security personnel, vulnerable communities in the North-East, and improved coordination among security agencies.
Meanwhile, President Tinubu also summoned the Director-General of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Dr Olubunmi Kuku, to the Presidential Villa for the second time in one week.
The FAAN chief was seen arriving at the Villa while the security meeting was still ongoing.
The summons comes days after the President ordered the suspension of the cashless payment system at airport toll gates nationwide following complaints of severe traffic congestion that caused many passengers to miss their flights.
The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, had earlier explained that the suspension was directed by the President after widespread complaints about gridlock at airports in Lagos and Abuja.
Tinubu has since directed the aviation ministry to work with private sector partners to develop a more efficient hybrid payment system that allows both cash and electronic payments while a permanent solution is designed.
As of press time, the FAAN Director-General was still meeting with the President.
