Worried by the precaurious situation, President Muhammadu Buhari, Monday, directed security heads in the country to step up their game to ensure safety in all nooks and crannies.
This is even as the Federal Government described the security situation in the North East geopolitical zone of the country as worrisome.
Buhari had presided over security meeting held behind closed-doors at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, which had all security heads in attendance, including the new Acting Director-General of Department of State Services, DSS, Matthew Seiyefa, which was his first meeting with the President.
Speaking to State House correspondents after the meeting, Mansur Dan-Ali, Minister of Defence, said the meeting was a normal, routine security briefing with the President, especially as he had just back from vacation.
Dan-Ali said that though the security situation had improved, the situation in the North East was very worrisome.
He said, “This is a normal routine security briefing with Mr President, he just came back so we briefed him on all the activities we had while he was away. It’s an update of the August 2 meeting.
“The decision that has been taken is that we have seen that there is a lot of improvement in security situation in the country more especially in Zamfara and Benue states and in the Niger Delta.
“In the North East we are having worrisome report. We have looked into it critically and we have taken absolute decision.”
Also briefing journalists, Gen. Gabriel Olonisakin, the Chief of Defence Staff, CDS, said that after briefing the President, he directed the security heads to step up their game in protecting the citizenry.
Gen. Olonisakin said, “We just had two and half hours meeting with the president and Commander-in-Chief, we reviewed the security situation across the country in all the geopolitical zones.
“Of course, we made all our comments, especially the new operations in Benue, Zamfara, Taraba operation WISE stroke, and operation (Saradaji).
“We gave the extent of successes in these operations and we are to continue in this line of action in these operations.
“All the operations were reviewed and all the issues concerning the operations were dealt with. And he directed that we should continue to step up our game to ensure that the nation is safe and people go about their daily activities in a very safe manner.”
Those in attendance were the NSA, Babagana Monguno, Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Gabriel Olonisakin; Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai; Chief of Naval Staff, Rear Admiral Ibok Ekwe Ibas; and Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshall Abubakar Sadique.
Others were Ahmed Abubakar, Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), Ibrahim Idris, Inspector General of Police and the Acting Director General of Department for State Services, Matthew Seiyefa.
