Dire Security Report From North-east Worries Defence Minister

The Minister of Defence, Mansur Dan-Ali, has expressed concerns over the dire security reports from the North-east in spite of the various security improvements in the country.

Dan-Ali revealed his worries about the North-east on Monday while briefing journalists after a meeting between President Muhammadu Buhari and the country’s security chiefs.

According to the Minister;

“We have seen a lot of improvements in the security situation in the country, especially in Zamfara and Benue states. If you go along the Niger Delta also (you will see) the same thing, but in the North-east we are having worrisome reports which we looked into critically and we are taking an absolute decision on.”

The meeting which lasted for more than two and half hours was attended by all the security chiefs who alongside the President reviewed the security situation in various parts of the country hours after President Buhari had directed them to make the country safe again for Nigerians.

According to the Chief of Defence Staff, General Abayomi Olonisakin;

“The President directed that we continue to step up our game to ensure that the nation is safe and people go about their activities in a very safe environment,”

General Olonisakin further explained that the security chiefs also briefed President Buhari about the progress made so far in the military operations in several troubled states which included Benue, Zamfara, and Taraba.

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The meeting was well attended by the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Tukur Buratai, the Chiefs of Air and Naval Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas.

The Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Ibrahim Idris, Acting Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS), Mr. Matthew Seiyefa, Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), Ahmed Abubakar, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Mr. Boss Mustapha as well as the National Security Adviser, Babagana Monguno, amongst others.

The security briefing is the first official engagement to be handled by President Buhari upon his return from a 10 day working vacation in London.