President Bola Tinubu and French President Emmanuel Macron on Sunday held discussions on Nigeria’s escalating security challenges, focusing on strengthened cooperation and support for affected communities. The conversation came as a United States congressional delegation arrived in Abuja for consultations on violent attacks and allegations of religious persecution.
Macron, in a post on X, expressed solidarity with Nigeria and pledged enhanced partnership to confront terrorism and insecurity, especially in the northern region. He said France would expand assistance at Tinubu’s request, adding that global partners must not remain passive in the face of mounting threats.
The French leader’s remarks followed renewed gun attacks and mass kidnappings across northern states, which have drawn international attention. Tinubu recently swore in a new Minister of Defence, Gen. Christopher Musa (retd.), tasking him with delivering rapid results. The President also declared a nationwide security emergency on November 26, ordering expanded recruitment into the armed forces and prioritised protection of schools, farms and places of worship.
Nigeria’s security concerns have come under sharp global scrutiny, particularly from the United States. A US delegation led by the ambassador to Nigeria met with National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu in Abuja as part of ongoing consultations on counter-terrorism, regional stability and intelligence cooperation. Ribadu confirmed the engagements, describing them as part of broader efforts to deepen strategic security ties.
A member of the US House of Representatives, Riley Moore, also concluded a visit to Nigeria, saying his meetings were “productive,” though he did not disclose details. Additionally, the US Assistant Secretary of State and Ambassador Richard Mills visited Benue State, meeting government and religious leaders amid concerns raised abroad about alleged persecution and widespread attacks.
The Benue State Government, however, dismissed claims of genocide, insisting the crisis is driven by criminality rather than religious motives. Local traditional and cultural leaders maintained that attacks in the region constitute genocide and urged authorities to use such high-level visits to show the true situation on the ground.
Meanwhile, the Federal Government has reportedly secured the release of 100 of the 315 schoolchildren abducted from St. Mary’s Private Catholic School in Papiri, Niger State, though official confirmation was still pending as at press time. The abduction — one of the largest in recent years — prompted a massive security response, including aerial surveillance across several northern states.
In the aftermath of the incident, NSA Nuhu Ribadu reassured parents that the government was committed to rescuing all remaining hostages, vowing that “evil will never win.”
Elsewhere, former presidential aspirant Gbenga Hashim accused northern political elites of contributing to decades of governance failures that helped fuel violent extremism. He urged the new Defence Minister to prioritise results over rhetoric, stressing that Nigerians were increasingly impatient with political promises.
Similarly, Professor Abubakar Siddique of Ahmadu Bello University warned that worsening poverty, rising unemployment, climate pressures and persistent insecurity in the North threaten national stability. Speaking at the General Hassan Katsina Memorial Conference in Kaduna, he called for urgent reforms in governance, education and security to break what he described as a “poverty–insecurity trap.”
The conference featured tributes to General Hassan Katsina, the former Military Governor of Northern Nigeria. Retired General Alani Akinrinade, represented by Maj. Gen. Paul Tarfa (retd.), praised Katsina’s wartime leadership, integrity and dedication to national unity.
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2025-12-05