President Bola Tinubu has stepped up efforts to address Nigeria’s worsening security situation, holding high-level meetings with military chiefs and a visiting French officer following fresh casualties in the North-East.
The President on Monday met behind closed doors with the Chief of Defence Staff, General Olufemi Oluyede, and a French general at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
The engagement, according to sources, is part of renewed efforts to deepen international collaboration in tackling insurgency.
Tinubu also convened an emergency security meeting with service chiefs and heads of intelligence agencies, including the armed forces, police, and key security institutions, amid rising attacks across parts of the country.
The meetings followed the killing of a commanding officer and six soldiers in Borno State after their vehicle struck an improvised explosive device during an operation in Monguno.
The military said the troops had earlier repelled an attack by insurgents before the incident occurred.
Security sources said the President is exploring broader foreign partnerships, particularly with France, which recently pledged to support Nigeria with military equipment and training after talks with President Emmanuel Macron.
Tinubu had earlier indicated that Nigeria would leverage existing diplomatic ties and credit facilities to strengthen its security architecture, noting ongoing outreach to multiple countries for support.
The latest developments come amid growing concerns over insecurity nationwide.
A controversial airstrike by the Nigerian Air Force in the North-East over the weekend reportedly killed dozens of civilians alongside suspected insurgents, drawing criticism from rights groups.
Meanwhile, the United States Department of State recently authorised the voluntary departure of non-essential embassy staff from Abuja, citing deteriorating security conditions.
The advisory placed several Nigerian states under its highest travel risk category.
Despite this, the Federal Government maintained that the situation remains under control, insisting that security challenges are localised and not indicative of a nationwide breakdown of law and order.
In a separate development, fresh violence in Benue State has left several residents dead following attacks by suspected armed herders across multiple communities, further highlighting the country’s multi-front security crisis.
As pressure mounts, Tinubu’s latest engagements signal a push for both domestic coordination and international backing to contain escalating threats.
