Tension Rises As Top Officials Hold High-Stakes Security Meeting Behind Closed Doors

The Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) convened a high-level closed-door meeting on Wednesday night with the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, and the Minister of Defence, Mohammed Badaru Abubakar, to address escalating security concerns nationwide.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

The meeting, held at the NGF Secretariat in Abuja, was chaired by Kwara State Governor and NGF Chairman, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq.

In attendance were governors from Anambra, Akwa Ibom, Oyo, Kwara, Osun, Plateau, Lagos, Nasarawa, Ekiti, Ebonyi, Kogi, Ondo, Imo, Cross River, Ogun, and Edo States.

While the official agenda was not disclosed, sources close to the discussions revealed that the primary focus was the deteriorating security situation, particularly the recent deadly attack in Yelewata, Guma Local Government Area of Benue State, where more than 100 residents reportedly lost their lives.

The meeting came shortly after President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s visit to Benue earlier in the day, where he held a stakeholder engagement at the Government House in Makurdi.

Sources at the NGF Secretariat confirmed that the NSA and Defence Minister briefed the governors on ongoing security operations.

During his Makurdi visit, President Tinubu had issued a stern directive to the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, and the Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, ordering the swift arrest of those behind the Yelewata killings.

He also expressed frustration with the delay in arrests and tasked the Department of State Services (DSS) and the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) with intensifying intelligence efforts to apprehend the perpetrators.

Present at the Makurdi meeting were the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, traditional leaders, and former governors of the state.