President Bola Tinubu, on Monday in Abuja, urged the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, Service Chiefs, and the Inspector-General of Police to work as a team to address insecurity.
Tinubu also assured them of his 100 percent support, considering the enormity of the work expected of them.
“He told us that we must work as a team and that there’s work to be done,” Ribadu told State House Correspondents after a closed-door meeting with the President and Service Chiefs at the Aso Rock Villa, Abuja.
Tinubu is repeating a similar directive he had given to the immediate past Service Chiefs on June 1, where he declared that he would not condone them working at cross purposes.
Revealing what transpired behind the glass door, the NSA said, “He (Tinubu) 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.”
According to Ribadu, episodes of insecurity have declined nationwide in the past few weeks and will remain so as the security chiefs get to work.
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“You can see already things are improving in our country. If you see, the record of crimes and activities of criminals are going down. It will continue to go down.
“We’ll secure this place. Nigerians have seen the quality of the people that are given the opportunity, they are probably some of the best we have and they are not going to fail you; they’ll certainly deliver,” he said.
The NSA said the security helmsmen were at the Villa to thank the President for the opportunity to serve the country in his administration. Therefore, he promised to work tirelessly to give Nigerians their lives back.
“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 and stability, and let’s get our lives back,” Ribadu added.
Monday’s meeting was Tinubu’s first known in-person engagement with the security heads since their appointment on June 19.
They include the Chief of Defence Staff, Maj. Gen. C.G Musa; Chief of Army Staff, Maj. Gen. T. A Lagbaja; Chief of Naval Staff, Rear Admiral E. A. Ogalla; Chief of Air Staff, AVM H.B. Abubakar; the Chief of Defense Intelligence, Maj. Gen. EPA Undiandeye and the Acting Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun.