President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has directed the Nigerian Armed Forces to ensure the security of every part of the country, as his administration rolls out a multi-million-dollar defence modernisation drive to strengthen national security and intelligence operations.
This was disclosed by the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris Malagi, during a press briefing in Abuja on Wednesday. Malagi said the President’s order to the military was clear and uncompromising.
“The President’s directive is unequivocal to the armed forces. He said that every inch of the Nigerian territory must be secured and every citizen must live free of fear wherever they may find themselves in this country,” the minister stated.
Malagi noted that the President’s recent overhaul of the military command structure underscores his determination to revitalise Nigeria’s security architecture.
“The recent change in service chiefs by the President, which, by the way, happened even before his resignation by the United States of America, and the subsequent realignment within the armed forces of Nigeria and other security agencies reflect President Bola Tinubu’s determination to reinvigorate Nigerian security architecture,” he said.
According to the minister, the Tinubu administration has made multi-million-dollar investments in advanced equipment for the armed forces while also increasing the defence and security budget to enhance operational efficiency.
He added that the government’s renewed strategy has yielded tangible results, citing a significant reduction in terror-related incidents nationwide.
“In March this year, a report by the Global Terrorism Index indicated that terrorist attacks were at their lowest in over a decade in Nigeria,” he said.
Malagi revealed that in the past eight months alone, the Nigerian military has neutralised over 592 terrorists in Borno State, freed more than 11,200 hostages, and received the surrender of 124 insurgents and their families.
“Many of them have been sent to their own world beyond,” he said pointedly.
The minister highlighted similar progress across other regions, noting that terror attacks in the South-East have dropped by nearly 80% over the last two years due to joint security efforts, while numerous arrests and neutralisations have been recorded in the North-Central region.
“The government is ratcheting up its efforts to ensure more robust security in the North Central as new threats continue to emerge,” Malagi said.
He described the recent arrest of two high-profile terrorism suspects, Mahmoud Mohamed Ousmane and Abubakar Abba — alleged leaders of the al-Qaeda-linked Ansarul group — as a major breakthrough in Nigeria’s counter-terrorism campaign.
“The arrests of these people have marked a turning point in our ongoing operations against terrorism,” he stated.
Malagi reaffirmed the government’s resolve to bring all perpetrators of terror to justice within the confines of the law.
“We shall continue to make the suspects accountable for disrupting the peace of our country in consonance with the rule of law. The federal government will not relent until the remnants of these criminal elements and perpetrators are permanently removed from our country,” he said.
He also confirmed that Nigeria is deepening security cooperation with the United States and other international partners, disclosing that the country is in the process of acquiring a dozen AH-1Z Viper attack helicopters for the Nigerian Air Force, following the successful delivery of 12 Super Tucano aircraft.
“Procurement between Nigeria and the United States of America has increased year to year, in every way, with a dozen supply-to-cannon aircraft, which have had tremendous impact in the anti-insurgency fight,” he said.
Malagi emphasised that President Tinubu remains steadfast in his mission to secure the country, strengthen the economy, and uphold good governance.
“The President’s administration remains faithful and committed to his duty of securing our nation and its people,” he said.
“We want to assure Nigeria and Nigerians that the country is indeed in capable and steady hands under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who is leading the charge to boost our economy, strengthen our military and intelligence capabilities, and lead the country towards greater and shared prosperity for everyone.”
