President Bola Tinubu has approved the procurement of new equipment for the armed forces and other security agencies to strengthen the fight against terrorism and banditry across the country.
The Minister of Defence, Christopher Musa (retd.), disclosed this on Thursday while briefing State House correspondents after a nearly two-hour security meeting at the Presidential Villa.
According to the minister, the President remains committed to supporting security agencies in their ongoing operations against insurgents and criminal groups.
“The President has promised more equipment for us to be able to protect the nation, and we assure victory,” Musa said.
However, he did not disclose the specific type or quantity of equipment approved.
Musa explained that the meeting was convened to brief the President on the current security situation across the country, particularly following recent attacks on military formations.
The meeting also marked the first time the newly appointed Inspector General of Police, Tunji Disu, attended the security briefing since his appointment.
“The mission of the meeting actually is just for us to review events. We came in here for the services to brief Mr President on the current situation on the ground.
“You know that there have been a series of attacks, and the security forces have actually risen to the occasion,” Musa said.
He noted that the briefing was necessary to ensure the President received accurate information about ongoing operations, explaining that media interpretations sometimes do not capture the full reality of the situation.
“We know sometimes interpretation, especially through the media, has not been too direct. We felt we should put this record straight, which we have done,” he said.
The defence minister appealed to Nigerians not to be discouraged by reports of attacks, assuring that terrorists and bandits were suffering greater casualties than security forces.
“Our appeal to Nigerians is not to get tired, not to be discouraged, because sometimes when you hear the news, you think it is just what is happening, but it is not. It’s far from that.
“The terrorists, the bandits, are taking more casualties. Their commanders are being killed,” Musa stated.
He acknowledged that Nigeria had lost several courageous officers and soldiers in recent operations, describing the casualties as highly regrettable.
“We have lost a number of very, very courageous officers and men. Highly regrettable, but we want to assure Nigerians of the commitment we are putting on the ground to ensure that Nigeria is safe and secure,” he added.
In recent weeks, insurgents have intensified attacks on military positions in Borno State, including assaults on Ngoshe, Konduga, Marte, Jakana, and Mainok, leading to casualties among both security personnel and civilians.
The military reportedly lost at least three commanding officers overseeing forward operations bases within the past week due to the surge in attacks.
Musa attributed the spike in terrorist activities partly to the Ramadan period, explaining that insurgents often believe dying during the holy month guarantees spiritual reward.
“It is normal with terrorists during the Ramadan period. For them, they feel when they die, they are going to heaven, so they are ready to commit any offence or to get killed,” he said.
He assured Nigerians that the military had adjusted its operational strategies and was already recording successes against insurgents.
“As I said, we have adjusted our strategies. You can see in the past few days, we’ve taken over those locations. We’ve killed their commanders, we’ve taken over their assets. We’ll continue to do more,” Musa added.
When asked about persistent insecurity despite military efforts, the minister noted that conflict situations often involve fluctuations but insisted the tide was gradually turning in favour of security forces.
“As I said, it is war. And you know, war comes in and out. But Mr President has approved so many things that are coming on our line, and we’re working together as a team,” he said.
The meeting, which ended at about 5:10 p.m., was attended by heads of key security agencies, including the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, the Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency, Mohammed Mohammed, and the Director-General of the Department of State Services, Adeola Ajayi.
Also present were the Chief of Defence Staff, Olufemi Oluyede, Chief of Army Staff Waidi Shaibu, Chief of Air Staff Sunday Aneke, Chief of Naval Staff Idi Abbas, and Chief of Defence Intelligence Emmanuel Undiandeye.
The meeting came amid heightened security concerns, particularly in the Northeast, where insurgent groups such as Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province have continued to launch attacks on military positions.
Earlier this month, during an Iftar dinner with service chiefs, President Tinubu reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to defeating terrorism despite recent attacks in Borno.
Vice President Kashim Shettima also vowed that the administration would deploy overwhelming force to end the insurgency.
