Killings: Tinubu orders security strategy overhaul, says ‘enough is enough’
By Kunle Sanni
President Bola Tinubu has ordered a sweeping overhaul of Nigeria’s security strategies in response to escalating violence in parts of the country, particularly Borno, Benue, Plateau, and Kwara states.
During a high-level meeting with security chiefs at the State House in Abuja on Tuesday, Tinubu demanded urgent action to halt the killings of innocent civilians, declaring that the violence must stop.
“Enough is enough,” the President said, expressing strong disapproval over the continued loss of lives and destruction of property in affected areas.
National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu, who briefed journalists after the closed-door meeting, said the President received detailed reports from service chiefs on the latest security challenges, including casualties and damage caused by recent attacks.
Ribadu emphasized that Tinubu had earlier issued directives even while on official visits to Paris and London, demonstrating his active involvement in efforts to curb the crisis.
“Today, we had the opportunity to brief him in person. It was an exhaustive meeting that lasted several hours,” Ribadu said. “Mr. President gave us new directives and insisted on a stronger, more effective response to restore security.”
According to Ribadu, the President instructed security operatives to engage more with local communities, stressing the importance of collaboration with local councils and state governments in addressing grassroots-level challenges.
“The President believes that real security work starts from the local level. Communities, local governments, and state authorities must be involved to tackle the root causes of insecurity,” he said.
He also revealed that security teams had already visited some of the most affected states—Benue, Borno, and Plateau—to assess the situation on ground and engage with local authorities, in line with Tinubu’s instructions.
Tinubu, according to Ribadu, expressed deep concern about the continued use of Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) by attackers, especially in ungoverned areas.
