A day after his nationwide address warning against agitators crossing the red line, President Muhammadu Buhari met with Nigeria’s military and security chiefs at the Presidential Villa in Abuja .
The meeting which had all the service chiefs among others in attendance was held behind closed doors. It assessed the various security issues ranging from Boko Haram, the secessionist agitation By IPOB, farmers herdsmen clashes among other.These fact were gleaned from the briefing after the meeting by the Chief of Defence Staff, General Abayomi Gabriel Olonisakin after the meeting.
While briefing State House Correspondents after the meeting, Olonisakin said the president has given the military and security “directives” which will be carried out.He however did not reveal what the specific directives were all about.
Olonisakin said “We have been meeting with Mr. President for the last three hours. All we have done is to update him on all security issues around the country, within the country and outside the country where our troops are. Of course we have just updated him because he is aware of what’s been happening. He has been receiving regular briefings from the acting president and he has also been going through the print media and electronic media to follow the happenings in the country.
“After the meeting, he has directed on some areas we should look at so as to enhance our operations in the country.
“In his address, he talked about the unity of the nation which is non-negotiable. We have all been fully instructed to ensure that that directive is carried out to the letter.
Probed to know what the president said about IPOB, Olonisakin said “The issues of security, every security threat, all security threats were treated one after the other ranging from terrorism to kidnapping, herdsmen/farmers clash, to IPOB issue were all treated. Comments were made as to what to do as regards those issues.”
Asked whether forces will be mobilized towards the South East, the chief of Defence Staff said,
“Every security (issue) like I said has been treated and we are going to enhance our operations in all the areas we need to do that. Like I said he has given the necessary directives which will be carried out by the military and the security agencies.
He said “The assurance (given by the president) is that he also directed that we must ensure that the life and property of the citizens are protected and we must make sure that we secure the whole nation and also that troops that are outside carry out their jobs effective.
Speaking on concerns over Boko Haram in the northeast, the Defence Chief said “On the Boko Haram issue, you all know is an asymmetric warfare. (It’s) not that the Boko Haram has stepped up their game, it is just the issue of suicide bombing that has been the problem and of course we also working with the security agencies and the intelligence agencies to make sure that we address that menace.”
