President Bola Tinubu gave orders to heads of security, including intelligence agencies, on Thursday, telling them to prosecute anyone involved in oil theft because his administration will not stand for such criminal behavior.
The President also said that, in his opinion, Nigeria shouldn’t fall to her knees because of security issues while other nations are working, progressing, and making outstanding accomplishments.
This was brought up by President Tinubu during his official meeting at the Presidential Villa in Abuja with the heads of security and intelligence, who were accompanied by General Lucky Irabor, the Chief of Defence Staff.
After the roughly two-hour meeting, Major General John Bolton, the National Security Advisor, gave a press conference at the White House.
According to Bafana Monguno (retired), the President has ordered the heads of security agencies to release their plans.
He claimed it was an evaluation meeting where the President would learn about the activities of the various security formations and share his own philosophy and expectations with the security heads.
“The President and Commander in Chief of the armed forces has just completed a meeting of the general security appraisal committee consisting of the Chief of Staff service chiefs Inspector General of Police, and heads of the intelligence agencies,” he said.
He has never before met with the leaders of the security agencies. The two-hour meeting took place.
“After receiving a briefing from the participants Mr. President spoke at length about the meeting’s topics, including current national security concerns as well as his personal approach to handling them.
“First and foremost, he expressed his gratitude to the military, intelligence services, and other paramilitary organizations for the work they have done over the past few years. He also paid tribute to those who lost their lives protecting this nation from the great threat of terrorism, insurgency banditry, oil theft, sea robbery, piracy, etc.
“The President has made it very clear that he is determined to build on whatever progress has been made, to turn the tide in our favor, and to undo setbacks.
“From his perspective, this nation should not be struggling and on its knees while other nations are working and rising to greater heights.
He has made it abundantly clear that he won’t stand by while our fortunes continue to fall. His own trajectory is that there must be a clearinghouse, a basket system, or whatever is necessary to coordinate national security.
“Every agency must collaborate to accomplish a single goal. He will not support working against one another or colliding with one another. He has made it abundantly clear that all security agencies must abide by the requirements for coordination, frequent consultations, and timely reports that must be taken action upon.
He is going to implement numerous security architecture reforms, look more closely at our maritime misfortunes, and pay particular attention to the problem of oil theft because, in his opinion, he will not tolerate it. Any source of the issue must be eliminated as quickly as possible.
According to what he knows, he has already ordered the security services to create a blueprint, and he doesn’t believe he has the luxury of time. And whatever adjustments are necessary, they must be made as soon as possible.
