FOLLOWING worsening insecurity that has led to killings in Edo, Ondo, Benue, Plateau, Kwara, and other states in Nigeria, President Bola Tinubu has directed an immediate and comprehensive overhaul of the nation’s security architecture.
He also demanded urgent action to end conflicts across the country.
The President gave the directive when he met with security chiefs at the State House in Abuja for over two hours on Wednesday, April 23.
According to a statement signed by his spokesperson, Bayo Onanuga, Tinubu said the killing of innocent people in Borno, Benue, Plateau, and other parts of the nation must cease.
“Enough is enough,” Tinubu declared as he once again condemned the senseless targeting of innocent Nigerians.
The National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu, who attended the meeting, told newsmen that the service chiefs briefed the president on all the attacks in the states, the death toll, and the destruction of properties.
The NSA said Tinubu ordered a new approach to tackling the insecurity challenges.
Ribadu noted that Tinubu was also actively monitoring and giving instructions during his work visit to Paris and London.
“Mr President gave us the chance to come and brief him again. It lasted very long. We gave him an update on what was going on. Even when he was out there, he was constantly in touch, giving directives and following developments.
“Today, we had the opportunity to come and brief him again, and it lasted hours. It was a very detailed briefing, and it was exhaustive. We listened, and we took instructions from him. He gave us new directives. The fact is that Mr President is insisting that we work harder to restore security in the country,” Ribadu stated.
Ribadu said they gave the president information on what had been happening and assured him of the security chiefs’ commitment.
He added that the security chiefs had visited places with incidents of insecurity, such as Plateau, Benue, and Borno states.
“We went to those three particular states. We gave him feedback because he had directed us earlier to go and meet with the political authorities there,” he added.
The NSA said the president highlighted the need to involve the local councils and state governments more in tackling insecurity cases.
The ICIR reported that following increase in criminal activities, the Niger State Governor, Umaru Mohammed Bago, imposed a curfew on Minna, restricting movement from 6 pm to 6 am.
This decision followed a surge in violent attacks and killings in the city. Under the new rules, commercial motorcycle and tricycle operators were prohibited from operating during curfew hours, except for medical emergencies.
Minna, like other major cities in the North-Central, has recently witnessed a resurgence of thuggery, banditry, attacks, and killings, raising concerns among residents.
ICIR reported that the death toll from the recent string of attacks in Benue climbed to 69 on Monday, April 21, following the recovery of 13 additional bodies in the wake of raids on rural communities in Ukum and Logo Local Government Areas (LGAs).
Governor Hyacinth Alia had confirmed the discovery of 56 bodies on Sunday, April 20, after his visit to the affected areas of the state.
The ICIR reported that gunmen attacked the Gbagir community, Ukum LGA, of the state. The assault occurred last Thursday on the Sankera axis of the LGA and simultaneously on the neighbouring Logo LGA.
The renewed attacks in Sankera came barely 48 hours after suspected herders launched brutal attacks on three communities, Emichi, Odudaje, and Okpamaju, in Otukpo LGA, southern Benue.
The ICIR also reported that 40 people were killed in another attack on the Zike community, Kimakpa, in the Kwali district of the Bassa Local Government Area of Plateau State.
There are also killings by Boko Haram in Borno, while Kwara has been under attack by suspected criminals.
These killings were in addition to those recorded in Akure North Local Government Area of Ondo State earlier this year.
A reporter with the ICIR
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