By David Torough, Abuja

President Bola Tinubu on Thursday convened an emergency security meeting with the nation’s top military commanders, intelligence chiefs and security advisers amid renewed efforts to contain terrorism, banditry and kidnapping across the country.

The closed-door meeting, held at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, lasted more than two hours and brought together the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu; Minister of Defence, Mohammed Badaru; Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa; Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Olufemi Oluyede; Chief of Defence Intelligence, Lieutenant General Emmanuel Undiandeye; Director-General of the Department of State Services, Adeola Ajayi; Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency, Mohammed Mohammed; Inspector-General of Police, Olatunde Disu; and the President’s Special Adviser on Homeland Security, Major General Adeyinka Famadewa (retd.

Although details of the meeting were not disclosed as of press time, sources said it focused on reviewing the country’s security situation and ongoing military operations across various theatres.

The meeting came as security forces recorded fresh operational gains against terrorists and bandits in the North-West and North-East.

In Katsina State, troops of the Nigerian Army, in collaboration with other security agencies, killed eight suspected terrorists during an ambush in Bakori Local Government Area after receiving intelligence that gunmen loyal to notorious bandit leader Idi Abasu Aiki were planning attacks on commuters along the Kakumi-Guga Road.

The troops recovered two AK-47 rifles and five motorcycles used by the suspects, while security forces have intensified patrols around vulnerable communities to forestall retaliatory attacks.

The latest success followed earlier military operations in Zamfara and Katsina States in which troops of Operation FANSAN YAMMA, supported by the Nigerian Air Force, disrupted a major terrorist movement involving about 300 armed fighters on motorcycles through precision airstrikes.

Security forces also eliminated a notorious bandit commander, Alhaji Tukur, during separate operations, while troops of Operation Hadin Kai recently repelled another attack on a military base in Borno State.

Against the backdrop of the renewed security offensive, Zamfara State Governor Dauda Lawal renewed his call for the establishment of state police, arguing that governors cannot be held accountable for insecurity without operational control over security agencies.

Speaking at the ARISE News/THISDAY Town Hall Conference in Abuja, Lawal disclosed that he refused to pay a N300 million ransom when his brothers were abducted in 2019.

“My brothers were kidnapped and the kidnappers demanded N300 million. I told them I would not pay a kobo. If they wanted to kill them, they should go ahead,” he said.

According to the governor, his brothers were eventually released after spending three months in captivity without any ransom being paid.

Lawal insisted that paying ransom only fuels further kidnappings and maintained that he would never negotiate with criminal groups.

He also said Zamfara had invested heavily in supporting security operations by providing hundreds of operational vehicles, armoured personnel carriers, mine-resistant vehicles and surveillance and attack drones to security agencies.

The governor argued that decentralising policing would improve accountability and enable states to respond more effectively to local security challenges through better funding, training and operational control.

The Presidency had yet to issue an official statement on the outcome of Thursday’s security meeting at the time of filing this report.

The Chief of Defence Intelligence, Lt.-Gen. Emmanuel Undiandeye, says defence diplomacy remains a critical instrument for strengthening Nigeria’s security through international cooperation and strategic military partnerships.

Undiandeye said this while speaking with newsmen after the accreditation of foreign Defence Advisers and Attachés to Nigeria on Wednesday in Abuja.

He said Nigeria’s deployment of Defence Attachés abroad was guided by the principles of defence diplomacy, just as allied countries post their representatives to Nigeria.

According to him, Defence Advisers and Attachés represent the interests of their respective countries while promoting stronger bilateral and multilateral defence relations.

He said the officers also identified opportunities for acquiring technologies that enhance national security and strengthen military capabilities.

The CDI added that they facilitated military training, defence acquisitions and other areas of security cooperation between allied nations.

He said the engagements helped deepen mutual trust and strengthen international partnerships in addressing common security challenges.

Undiandeye said defence diplomacy also contributed to global peace and collective security while advancing the national interests of participating countries.

He stressed that defence diplomacy was far more than the exchange of military representatives among friendly nations.

According to him, it is a continuous process that strengthens cooperation, enhances collective security and contributes to safeguarding national and global interests.

The agency accredited five newly posted Defence Attaches from Ghana, Italy, Japan, Mali and the United Kingdom.

By Julius Tambaya, Abuja

Presidential hopeful of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, has expressed fears over his personal safety ahead of the 2027 general election, saying he might not be alive to contest the presidency due to what he described as sustained harassment and deliberate frustration of his businesses and activities.

Obi made the remarks during an interview  hosted by media personality Chude Jideonwo and shared on X yesterday.

Responding to a question on whether he would emerge as the NDC’s presidential candidate in 2027, the former Anambra State governor said the issue went beyond securing the party’s ticket.

“Not even a candidate. I might not even be alive. I’m telling you. Every single thing I do for a living, this government is frustrating it. Deliberately so. Everything. So, there is even a possibility, if they have the opportunity, I will not be alive,” Obi said.

Although he stopped short of making a direct accusation against the government, Obi maintained that he has been subjected to persistent obstruction, which he believes is targeted.

“It’s not an accusation. I know. I get frustrated every day because you do things that you think would be normal; they are not normal anymore. They won’t come directly and say, ‘We’re doing this,’ but you can see their hand in virtually everything,” he stated.

Obi further alleged that the pressure extends beyond him, claiming that opposition figures across the country are facing similar treatment.

“They are attacking everybody who is in opposition personally. I am being attacked personally. Everything. Even to provide me with necessary things that I should have been entitled to, not at all,” he said.

To illustrate his claims, Obi recounted an incident at an airport where officials allegedly locked his vehicle while leaving others parked in the same area untouched.

According to him, even after identifying himself, the officer in charge reportedly insisted he did not care, while other officials appeared to question his presence.

He also claimed that some acquaintances now avoid greeting him in public for fear of being associated with him, while some supporters have privately urged him not to attend family events such as weddings to prevent possible repercussions.

Obi’s comments come as political consultations and alignments ahead of the 2027 general election continue to gather momentum, with opposition parties intensifying preparations for the next presidential contest.