President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Monday held a closed-door security meeting in Abuja with top military officials, including Chief of Defence Staff Olufemi Oluyede and a French military general, amid escalating violence across Nigeria.
The high-level meeting at the Presidential Villa followed a recent agreement between Tinubu and French President Emmanuel Macron to provide military equipment and specialized training to Nigerian armed forces.
A presidency source confirmed the development, stating that the discussions were part of ongoing efforts to address the country’s worsening security situation. “The President met the Chief of Defence Staff and a French General… He is on top of the security issues,” the source said.
The talks come in the wake of deadly attacks in the North-East. In Borno State, insurgents recently killed a commanding officer and six soldiers after troops encountered an improvised explosive device in Monguno. According to military authorities, the officer died while assessing the situation on the ground.
Meanwhile, controversy continues to trail a Nigerian Air Force airstrike that reportedly killed over 80 people at Jilli market near the border of Yobe State and Borno.
The government maintains the site was a logistics hub for terrorist groups, including Islamic State West Africa Province and Boko Haram.
However, survivors dispute the claim, insisting they were civilians. One of them, Abu Goni, recounted how the strike occurred shortly after evening prayers, catching traders unaware.
Violence has also intensified in the Middle Belt. In Benue State, suspected armed herders carried out coordinated attacks on several communities over the weekend, leaving at least 14 people dead, including a police officer killed during a gun battle.
The deteriorating security landscape has drawn international concern. The United States Department of State has authorized the voluntary departure of non emergency staff from its Abuja embassy and placed 23 Nigerian states under its highest travel risk advisory.
Despite the growing concerns, Nigeria’s Minister of Information, Mohammed Idris, dismissed claims of a nationwide breakdown in security, insisting that most parts of the country remain stable.
