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Tinubu Seeks Multifaceted Response To Terrorism, Other Security Threats
President Bola Tinubu, on Wednesday called for a multifaceted response to terrorism, insurgency and other forms of security threats in the Lake Chad Basin region.
Tinubu, represented by the Vice-President Kashim Shettima, made the call when he declare open the 5th meeting of the Lake Chad Basin Governors’ Forum in Maiduguri, the Borno capital.
The Tide source reports that the meeting, which was hosted by the Yobe State Government brings together eight Governors from Nigeria, Cameroon, Chad, and the Republic of the Niger.
The event also brings humanitarian organisations, and local and international communities to address pressing security challenges and explore solutions for stability in the region.
The president said the chain of events that disrupted the stability of the region over the past 15 years demands that power must be wielded responsibly to guarantee the safety and prosperity of the people.
The Nigerian leader noted that while military power was necessary to contain the security threats, it must be accompanied by strategies that address their root causes.
This, according to him, in include poverty, inequality, and lack of job opportunities for the region’s young population.
“Your Excellencies, distinguished ladies and gentlemen, our response to these threats must be multifaceted.
“While military solutions are indispensable, they must be complemented by strategies that address the root causes of insecurity – poverty, inequality, and the lack of opportunities for our youth.
“It is a tragic irony that Africa, a continent with the youngest population in the world, sees its youth become cannon fodder for destructive ideologies and the drivers of conflict.
“This is the challenge before us: to transform this demographic dividend into a force for good. Power’s true essence lies not in its possession but in its application.
“Hard power may secure borders, but it is soft power—through diplomacy, culture, and shared values—that builds bridges and binds us together,” he said.
Tinubu said every part of the world was entangled in its own unique security challenges, resulting in the global military gulping “a historic 2.4 trillion dollars in 2023, with no signs of slowing.”
He, however, observed that: “hard power, detached from the moral imperatives of justice and diplomacy, only widens the very divide it seeks to bridge.”
Tinubu told the Lake Chad Basin Governors’ Forum that it was only by sticking to the vision for which the forum was created that pursuing and adopting partnerships that benefit the people could be achieved.
Such partnerships, he said, include the collective commitment to the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and advancing the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals.
He noted that the choices made “today will echo through generations, shaping the future of this region.”
He recalled the successes recorded so far in repelling threats to the region’s borders and sovereignty by elements of terror.
The President attributed past victories by member countries to the joint missions they had embarked on.
Tinubu cautioned the governors and other stakeholders against allowing “the geopolitical tensions across the world to sow discord” in the region, and submitting themselves “to become tools in any proxy agenda.
“The salvation of the Lake Chad region is neither in Europe nor in the Americas. It lies in the hands of all those gathered here today.
“You, distinguished representatives of this forum, embody not only our collective will to protect the region but also the transformative potential that stability brings.
“The true enemy remains the non-state actors—those who exploit weak borders, poor governance, and fragile economies to challenge our claim to civilization.
” However, the worst threat we may face is not the insurgents or terrorists at odds with our humanity.
” It is the absence of cooperation, sincerity, and fidelity to our shared pact as brothers’ keepers.
“We undermine this pact when we renege on agreements to secure our borders when misinformation and falsehoods breed mistrust, and when we jeopardize the freedom and choices of our people.”
Earlier, Gov. Mai Mala Buni of Yobe, had said that the forum was an opportunity for states around the Lake Chad Basin region across Nigeria, Niger, Chad, and Cameroon Republics to discuss and reflect on the journey so far.
He noted that as partners in progress, the Yobe Government provided the platform for participants to strengthen contact and collaboration towards ensuring stabilisation, recovery, and resilience across the Lake Chad Basin in the months and years ahead.
Also, Gov. Babagana Zulum of Borno, commended the strategic partners of the forum, saying their contributions have enabled governments of the forum to tackle some of their challenges to strengthen and rebuild the region.
He said the platform was a rallying point for political cohesion, fostering regional interaction, sustaining the socio-economic development of the region, and regional integration.
On his part, Gov. Umaru Fintri of Adamawa, noted that the Basin had passed through the worst environmental moment, leading to the shrinking of the Lake Chad
“The United Nations Environmental Programme has recently revealed that Lake Chad has shrunk 90 per cent in six years and blamed the situation on climate change, irrigation and construction of dams and population increase.”
The Executive Secretary of Lake Chad Basin Commission, Amb. Mamman Nuhu, said the forum’s meeting “serves as a critical platform for fostering dialogue and enhanced collaboration.”
He also said that the meeting reaffirmed the collective commitment to addressing the multifaceted challenges facing the lake chad basin.
He noted that the theme of the meeting reflects the immense progress achieved so far and the equally immense work that needs to be done.
Ms Cynthia Rowe, Development Director for the British High Commission, Nigeria, and Representative of International Support Group, commended the governors of the region.
Rowe stressed that the region had recorded marked improvement in the face of daunting challenges.
She, however, pledged the support of the funding partners to continue in their efforts towards assisting the forum achieve its objectives.
The Federal Government Staff Housing Loans Board says it has begun the compilation of list of retired civil servants who have defaulted on the full repayment of housing loans obtained.
Head of Information and Public Relations, FGSHLB, Mrs Ngozi Obiechina, disclosed this in a statement in Abuja, yesterday.
Obiechina quoted the Executive Secretary of the Board, Mrs Salamatu Ahmed, as saying that the move was aimed at recovering mortgaged properties from retirees who failed to meet their loan obligations.
Ahmed noted that the decision followed a recent memo issued by Mrs Patience Oyekunle, Permanent Secretary, Career Management Office, Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation.
According to her, the memo reminded public servants of the mandatory requirement to obtain a Certificate of Non-Indebtedness to the FGSHLB and MDA Staff Multipurpose Cooperative Society as a precondition for retirement.
The Executive Secretary said that the board would take necessary legal steps to repossess properties where applicable, in line with the terms of the loan agreements.
She said this was in line with the provisions of the Public Service Rules 021002 (p), issued by the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation.
“I am directed to bring to your attention the provision of Public Service Rule (PSR) 021002 (p), which mandates all public servants to obtain a Certificate of Non-Indebtedness as a prerequisite for retirement.
“The Federal Government will commence the seizure of mortgaged properties belonging to retiring federal public servants who have failed to fully repay housing loans obtained from the board,” she said.
Ahmed explained that the FGSHLB reserves the legal right to repossess any mortgaged property in cases where a public servant exits service without fully repaying the loan.
She reiterated that the directive also applied to already retired officers who were still indebted.
She urged all affected public servants to regularise their loan status and obtain the required clearance certificate without delay.
“The board is currently compiling a list of such retirees, which will be forwarded to relevant regulatory agencies for debt recovery.
“The FGSHLB remains committed to enforcing compliance and ensuring proper loan recovery procedures are followed, “ she added.
The Federal Government has kicked off a three-day induction programme for newly appointed Permanent Secretaries and the Accountant-General of the Federation, aimed at equipping them for strategic leadership and effective policy implementation.
The induction, according to a statement yesterday by the Director, Information and Public Relations, Federal Ministry of Information and National Orientation, Eno Olotu, which commenced on Wednesday, is being held at the National Counter Terrorism Centre in Abuja.
Speaking at the opening session, the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs. Didi Esther Walson-Jack, congratulated the new appointees and described their roles as pivotal to governance and national development.
“Permanent Secretaries are the engine room of the government. They are critical to driving policy implementation, institutional performance, and reform across the service”, she said.
The Federal Government has kicked off a three-day induction programme for newly appointed Permanent Secretaries and the Accountant-General of the Federation, aimed at equipping them for strategic leadership and effective policy implementation.
The induction, according to a statement yesterday by the Director, Information and Public Relations, Federal Ministry of Information and National Orientation, Eno Olotu, which commenced on Wednesday, is being held at the National Counter Terrorism Centre in Abuja.
Speaking at the opening session, the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs. Didi Esther Walson-Jack, congratulated the new appointees and described their roles as pivotal to governance and national development.
“Permanent Secretaries are the engine room of the government. They are critical to driving policy implementation, institutional performance, and reform across the service”, she said.
“The expectations are high, and the responsibility is immense. But with commitment and teamwork, we can deliver a more efficient, accountable, and citizen-centred public service.
“This final lap of FCSSIP 25 calls for urgency, accountability, and strategic focus. You must translate vision into measurable results,” she stated.
In her welcome address, the Permanent Secretary, Career Management Office, Mrs. Fatima Sugra Tabi’a Mahmood, described the programme as a strategic investment in leadership capacity and institutional effectiveness.
The sessions featured expert-led discussions, simulations, and strategic briefings facilitated by a distinguished faculty, including Engr. Suleiman Adamu, former Minister of Water Resources; Dr. Hadiza Bala Usman, Special Adviser to the President on Policy and Coordination; Mrs. Beatrice Jedy-Agba, Solicitor-General of the Federation and Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Justice; Alh. Yusuf Addy, retired Federal Director; Alhaji Bukar Goni Aji, former Head of the Civil Service of the Federation; Amb. Mustapha Lawal Suleiman, Mr. Adesola Olusade, and Dr. Ifeoma Anagbogu, all retired Permanent Secretaries.
Participants include Dr. Obi Emeka Vitalis, Mrs. Fatima Sugra Tabi’a Mahmood, Mr. Danjuma Mohammed Sanusi, Mr. Olusanya Olubunmi, Dr. Keshinro Maryam Ismaila, Dr. Akujobi Chinyere Ijeoma, Dr. Umobong Emanso Okop, Dr. Isokpunwu Christopher Osaruwanmwen, Mrs. Oyekunle N. Patience, Dr. Kalba U. Danjuma, Mr. Nadungu Gagare, Mr. Onwusoro I. Maduka, Dr. Usman Salihu Aminu, Mr. Ogbodo Chinasa Nnam, Mr. Ndiomu Ebiogeh Philip, Dr. Anuma N. Ogbonnaya, Mr. Adeladan Rafiu Olaninre, and Mr. Mukhtar Yawale Muhammed, alongside the Accountant-General of the Federation, Mr. Shamseldeen Babatunde Ogunjimi.
The induction programme will feature sessions on public sector leadership, policy delivery, ethics in service, digital transformation, and performance management.
The Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, has announced that a forensic audit of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) will begin soon.
Edun revealed this at the ongoing Nigerian Investor Forum, held alongside the IMF/World Bank Spring Meetings in Washington DC.
The minister explained that the recent changes in the NNPCL management are part of a broader effort by the Federal Government to clean up and examine the company closely.
While addressing top global investors, including representatives from J.P. Morgan, Edun shared key reforms the government has introduced to revive the economy and restore investor confidence.
He told the investors that the government’s bold economic steps have laid a strong foundation to attract private investment.
He stated, “Our goal is not just to maintain this momentum, but to accelerate it. We are targeting seven per cent annual growth, and we believe the policies we have implemented have laid the groundwork to achieve this.”
Edun highlighted that President Bola Tinubu’s administration has rolled out major reforms that are already making a difference.
He added that the Nigerian economy grew by 3.84 per cent in the fourth quarter of 2024 and recorded a 3.4 per cent growth for the year.
Edun further stressed the importance of the reforms, describing them as “unprecedented,” adding that, “We said we would do it, and now we have done it. This time, we’re staying the course.”
He pointed out signs of progress such as lower budget deficits, a better trade balance, and a more stable exchange rate.
He also said that the focus is now on growing key sectors, especially agriculture.
According to Edun, agriculture is at the top of the government’s agenda, with the aim of improving food supply and increasing productivity.
“We aim to close the food supply gap, not by importing more, but by enabling domestic producers to scale and innovate,” he said.
On infrastructure, Edun revealed that the government has rolled out 90,000km of fibre optic cable to improve internet access.
He said this move is crucial for supporting young Nigerians and tech startups.
He also noted that 4,000km of roads have been offered for private sector participation, with the first 1,000km already approved for construction.