President Bola Ahmed Tinubu met with his newly appointed security chiefs on Monday at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, where he charged them to do everything possible to secure the country from terrorism and other criminalities.
The meeting with the service chiefs, which was the first of its kind since their appointment, also afforded Tinubu an opportunity to reel out his expectations of where the country should be in terms of security.
The brief meeting was attended by Major General C.G. Musa (Chief of Defence Staff), General T.A. Lagbaja (Chief of Army Staff Major), AVM H.B. Abubakar (Chief of Air Staff), and Rear Admiral Emmanuel Ikechukwu Ogalla (Chief of Naval Staff). The Acting Inspector-General of Police, DIG Kayode Egbetokun, was also part of the meeting.
Lagos Panorama recalls that Tinubu, shortly before embarking on a trip to Paris, France, to attend a financial summit, jolted the nation when he sacked the former service chiefs and announced new ones as replacements.
Tinubu had also gone ahead to appoint a former chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Malam Nuhu Ribadu to replace Babagana Monguno as the National Security Adviser (NSA).
Ribadu told reporters that the purpose of the meeting was to thank the President for giving them the opportunity to serve the country.
The former EFCC boss said they are poised to work tirelessly to guarantee the peace and stability of the country.
He said: “We’re here to thank Mr President for the opportunity he gave us to serve our country and to serve his own government. We also pledged our loyalty to him, Nigeria, and Nigerians. We believe the choice he made is the right one, the correct one, and we know what he wants for this country. We’re going to work tirelessly to ensure that we accomplish that objective of securing our country, establishing peace, stability, and get our lives back.
“He gave us the assurance that he’s with us hundred percent. He told us that we must work as a team and that there’s work to be done; he’ll expect us to deliver, and we’re grateful for the opportunity. That’s why we are here.”
Asked jokingly if he was aware of the big task ahead of him, he replied, “Yes, and it is going to be done, insha Allah.”
