President Bola Tinubu has directed heads of security agencies to rescue all abducted persons and ensure that no terrorist or bandit camp remains anywhere in Nigeria, the Minister of Defence, Gen. Christopher Musa (retd.), said Thursday.
Musa, who spoke to State House correspondents on Thursday after a security meeting presided over by the President at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, said Tinubu also asked the service chiefs and other security heads to guarantee a safe environment for Nigerians to vote in the elections scheduled for January.
The minister said the meeting was convened to brief the President on the security situation ahead of the polls, with all heads of security agencies in attendance.
“The directive from the President is: all of us must go all out to fish out and rescue all those that have been abducted, kidnapped, wherever they are.
“There shouldn’t be any camp of any terrorists or bandits anywhere in Nigeria,” he stated.
Musa said Tinubu made it clear that he wanted a free, fair and credible election, and assured political parties that the security forces would not take sides.
Musa stated, “Mr President made it very clear he wants a free, fair and credible election. We must do everything possible to ensure that the country is safe and secure for the citizens to go out and vote.
“We are going to ensure that we give everybody the opportunity to go and serve, so they have nothing to worry about, nothing to be afraid of, and nobody is going to intimidate them for whatever reasons.”
He added that it was “important for all other political parties to understand that the security forces are going to be neutral”.
The minister rejected suggestions that underage persons were being recruited into the armed forces, saying the concern related to the use of children by terrorists.
According to Musa, “There is nobody who is underage that is being brought here. I think the discussion that was made was that the accusation was on the terrorists using underage.
“We know that we don’t have control over what they do, and that’s why it’s important for us to understand that we must not allow them to remain wherever they are.”
On efforts to boost the capacity of the security forces, Musa cited increased recruitment, training and procurement.
He said Tinubu would soon commission about 10 newly acquired aircraft and helicopters.
“Mr President is coming to commission a set of new aircraft and helicopters that have been bought.
“I think almost about 10 of them in number, and to show Nigerians that despite the economic issue, the issue of security is in the front burner of Mr President’s view,” he announced.
He pointed to the recent salary increase for members of the armed forces and said improvements for the police, other agencies and pensioners were being addressed.
“Nobody is going to be left behind,” he said.
The minister urged Nigerians to support the security agencies, including by reporting wrongdoing by security personnel.
He argued, “Security is everybody’s responsibility. It’s not only for members of security forces. Everyone has a role to play.
“Whatever you see that is going wrong, even with our members that are not doing what is right, please don’t hesitate to report. Action will be taken.”
The meeting was attended by the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu; the Minister of Police Affairs, Ibrahim Gaidam; the Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle; and the Special Adviser to the President on Homeland Security, Maj. Gen. Adeyinka Famadewa (retd.).
Others present were the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Waidi Shaibu; the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Adm. Idi Abbas; the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Aneke; the Chief of Defence Intelligence, Lt. Gen. Emmanuel Undiandeye; the Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu; the Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency, Mohammed Mohammed; and the Director-General of the Department of State Services, Adeola Ajayi.
Thursday’s meeting comes 90 days before Nigerians head into the January 2027 general elections, with the presidential poll scheduled for January 16.
On August 4, Tinubu approved salary increases of between 30 and 80 per cent for about 250,000 armed forces personnel, effective September 1.
Privates to staff sergeants got the highest rise, at 80 per cent, while officers above the rank of colonel got 30 per cent. The yearly salary bill rose from N660bn to N924bn.
In October 2025, the Defence Ministry said 24 aircraft, including 10 AW109 Trekker attack helicopters and M-346 fighter jets, were being built for Nigeria by Leonardo in Italy, for delivery in four batches.