Tinubu Steps Up Anti-Terror Strategy After Fresh Military, Civilian Casualties
President Bola Tinubu has intensified efforts to tackle Nigeria’s worsening security crisis, holding a series of high-level meetings with military chiefs and a visiting French defence official following fresh deadly attacks on troops and civilians.
On Monday, the President met behind closed doors at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, with the Chief of Defence Staff, General Olufemi Oluyede, alongside a French General, in what sources described as part of deepening international military collaboration.
The engagement came shortly after an emergency security meeting involving service chiefs and heads of intelligence agencies, including the National Intelligence Agency, the Department of State Services, and the Nigeria Police Force.
Presidency sources said the meetings underscore Tinubu’s resolve to explore global partnerships in confronting insurgency and other security threats.
“He has always maintained that he will seek support wherever necessary, and that is exactly what he is doing,” one official said.
The renewed push follows a deadly incident on Sunday in Borno State, where a senior military officer and six soldiers were killed after their vehicle struck an improvised explosive device planted by insurgents. The attack occurred as the officer moved to assess troops following an earlier engagement.
Military authorities described the fallen commander as a courageous leader who died in active service while prioritising the safety and effectiveness of his men.
The latest loss adds to a growing list of attacks targeting military formations in the North-East, raising fresh concerns over the resilience of insurgent groups.
Tinubu’s meeting with the French official also builds on recent diplomatic efforts with French President Emmanuel Macron, who had pledged support for Nigeria through the provision of military equipment and training.
The President had earlier disclosed that Nigeria was ready to leverage its international goodwill and credit lines to secure the tools needed to strengthen its armed forces.
Meanwhile, security tensions have been further heightened by a controversial airstrike in the North-East. A Nigerian Air Force operation targeting insurgents reportedly hit a market in the Borno–Yobe axis, leading to significant civilian casualties.
While the military defended the strike as a precision attack on a террорист logistics hub, rights groups, including Amnesty International, have called for an independent investigation, citing concerns over civilian deaths.
Adding to the pressure, the United States recently authorised the voluntary evacuation of non-essential embassy staff from Abuja, citing deteriorating security conditions across parts of Nigeria.
Authorities in Abuja, however, dismissed the advisory as a routine precaution, insisting that most parts of the country remain stable despite isolated incidents of violence.
Beyond the North-East, violence also spread to North-Central Nigeria, where coordinated attacks by suspected armed herders left multiple people dead in communities across Benue State. Residents reported killings, injuries, and displacement, with several victims still unaccounted for.
Local officials confirmed that security operatives have since been deployed to affected areas to restore order and prevent further attacks.
The spate of incidents highlights the multi-front security challenges confronting the Tinubu administration, ranging from insurgency and banditry to communal violence.
Analysts say the President’s latest engagements signal a dual-track approach—strengthening domestic security coordination while expanding international defence cooperation—as Nigeria battles to contain escalating threats.s and their logistics suppliers.
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