President Muhamadu Buhari has begun a closed-door meeting with security chiefs at the presidential villa, where he is expected to hear briefings from all of the country’s security chiefs.
Buhari is presiding over the briefing, which is being held under the auspices of the National Security Council Meeting at the State House in Abuja.
Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha; the Chief of Staff to the President, Professor Ibrahim Gambari; and the National Security Adviser (NSA), Major General Babagana Monguno (retd); are among the high profile government functionaries attending the meeting.
Other attendees include the Chief of Defence Staff, General Lucky Irabor; Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Farouk Yahaya; Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Awwal Gambo; and the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Isiaka Oladayo Amao.
Also in attendance are the Inspector-General of Police, Alkali Baba Usman; the Director-General of the Department of State Service (DSS), Yusuf Bichi; and the Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), Ahmed Rufai Abubakar.
According to sources privy to the meeting, the recent attack in Owo, Ondo State, over the weekend may play a major role in their discussions, especially since the Federal Government and other stakeholders have strongly condemned it.
Buhari had promised that when his term ends on May 29, 2023, he would leave a legacy of peace and tranquility.
Recall that Nigeria, in the last few years, has been contending with rising insecurity, to which the President and Commander in Chief has given the security chiefs the mandate to crush all forms of terrorism.