President Muhammadu Buhari has given a strong mandate to the heads of the nation’s security agencies to ensure the country remains no matter what it takes.
The President had in a nationwide broadcast on Monday reiterated that the country’s unity is settled and not negotiable.
The Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Abayomi Olonishakin, disclosed this to State House correspondents on Tuesday after a security meeting with the President held at the State House residence.
Olonishakin said the President asked them to ensure that the directive was carried out with diligence.
“In his address, the President talked about the unity of the nation which is non-negotiable. We have all been fully instructed to ensure that that directive is carried out to the letter,” he said.
Olonishakin said Buhari was specific in his directive that security chiefs ensure that the life and property of Nigerians are protected.
He said they were also directed to ensure that they secure the nation and also that troops that are outside the country carry out their jobs effectively.
He said security chiefs updated Buhari on all security issues within and outside the country where the nation’s troops are during the meeting that lasted over three hours.
He said after the briefing, the President directed on some areas they should look at in order to enhance their operations.
When asked what the President told them on the Indigenous People of Biafra’s secret service, Olonishakin said, “All security threats were treated one after the other ranging from terrorism to kidnapping, herdsmen/farmers clash, to IPOB issue. They were all treated. Comments were made as to what to do as regards those issues.”
The defence chief however parried a question on whether he will mobilise forces to the South East to counter the activities of the IPOB group.
“Every security issue, like I said, have been treated and we are going to enhance our operations in all the areas we need to do that. Like I said, he has given the necessary directives which will be carried out by the military and the security agencies,” he simply said.
Olonishakin said despite the recent attacks carried out by Boko Haram, it would be wrong to believe that members of the sect have stepped up their game.
“On the Boko Haram issue, you all know it is an asymmetric warfare. It is not that the Boko Haram has stepped up their game. It is just the issue of suicide bombing that has been the problem and of course we also working with the security agencies and the intelligence agencies to make sure that we address that menace,” he added.
