2025

President Bola Tinubu has ordered the withdrawal of police officers currently providing security for Very Important Persons (VIPs) in the country, according to a statement from the State House. In a meeting with security chiefs in Abuja on Sunday, President Tinubu directed that police officers guarding VIPs be redeployed to focus on core police duties. The President has instructed that VIPs who require police protection should instead request armed personnel from the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps. Read Also: Tinubu Holds Emergency Security Meeting With Service Chiefs in Abuja The move is aimed at boosting police presence in communities, particularly in remote areas where policing is currently limited. The President has also approved the recruitment of 30,000 additional police officers and is working with states to upgrade police training facilities nationwide. The meeting was attended by top security officials, including the Chief of Army Staff, Lt General Waidi Shaibu, and the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has convened an extended high-level security meeting with Service Chiefs, the Inspector-General of Police, the Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS), and heads of other intelligence agencies at the State House in Abuja. According to the Presidency, the meeting is reviewing fresh security reports from affected areas across the country and evaluating ongoing operations. President Tinubu is receiving continuous briefings from the top security commanders as part of efforts to stabilise vulnerable communities and protect citizens. The President has also directed all security agencies to act with speed, precision, and total resolve in confronting criminal elements threatening national peace. Read Also: President Tinubu Confirms Rescue of 38 Kwara Worshippers, 51 Niger Schoolchildren Tinubu reaffirmed his commitment to the safety of every Nigerian, stressing that those undermining the country’s security would face the full weight of the law. He added that his administration remains focused on restoring peace and ensuring that Nigeria prevails over all forms of insecurity.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu says he cancelled his planned trip to the G20 Summit in South Africa to directly coordinate ongoing security operations following recent incidents of abductions across the country. In a statement issued on Tuesday, the President confirmed that all 38 worshippers kidnapped in Eruku, Kwara State, have been rescued by security forces after intensified operations in the past few days. He also disclosed that 51 of the missing students abducted from a Catholic school in Niger State have been recovered. Read Also: FG Orders Immediate Closure of 41 Unity Schools Over Insecurity Tinubu noted that he has been receiving continuous updates from frontline security commanders, adding that he is closely monitoring developments nationwide. He reiterated his commitment to ensuring the safety of every Nigerian. “Let me be clear: I will not relent. Every Nigerian, in every state, has the right to safety — and under my watch, we will secure this nation and protect our people,” he said. Tinubu assured citizens that ongoing security operations will continue until all abducted persons are accounted for and criminal networks are dismantled.

Four senior female directors of the Ministry of Defence abducted in Kogi State have regained their freedom after spending almost two weeks in captivity, while Mrs. C.A. Ladoye and Mrs. J.A. Onwuzurike were feared dead during the ordeal. The officials, who were travelling to Abuja for a promotion course and examinations, were ambushed by armed men along the Kabba–Lokoja highway and taken into the forest. They reportedly trekked through remote bush paths in Kogi State before eventually reaching Kaduna State. The six directors kidnapped during the incident were identified as Mrs. Ngozi Ibeziakor, Mrs. C.A. Emeribe, Mrs. C. Helen Ezeakor, Mrs. C.A. Ladoye, Mrs. J.A. Onwuzurike, and Mrs. Catherine O. Essien — all senior staff members of the Ministry of Defence. According to a report by Sahara Reporters, a source close to the situation confirmed that four of the women were released alive, while two were feared dead. Their deaths were said to have resulted from severe exhaustion during the prolonged trek imposed by their abductors, although the online newspaper noted that it could not independently verify the claim. Read Also: FG Orders Immediate Closure of 41 Unity Schools Over Insecurity Katsina and Plateau Govts Order Temporary School Closures Over Insecurity Kwara Church Attack: Abductors Contact Families, Demand N100m Ransom Per Victim “I learned they have been released, but two of them unfortunately couldn’t make it,” the source said. “They died from exhaustion after trekking from Kogi to Kaduna through the forest. The remaining four are undergoing medical examinations.” The victims were reportedly subjected to harsh conditions in captivity, including minimal access to food, water, and rest — factors believed to have contributed to the fatalities. Attempts to reach the Defence Headquarters spokesperson, Brigadier General Samaila, were unsuccessful, as calls and messages were unanswered. The abduction earlier triggered panic within the Ministry of Defence and the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN). The union, in a statement signed by President Shehu Mohammed and Secretary-General Joshua Apebo, condemned the attack and confirmed the identities of the kidnapped officials. Security sources had described the November 10 ambush as a “well-coordinated attack,” raising renewed concerns over the safety of government personnel travelling through the area. (Platinum Post)