President Bola Tinubu has assured Nigerians that the ongoing recalibration of the nation’s security architecture will soon deliver tangible results.
He made the remark on Friday during a meeting with a delegation of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), led by its President, Archbishop Daniel Okoh, at his Lagos residence. The briefing was contained in a statement by his Special Adviser on Information & Strategy, Bayo Onanuga.
Tinubu said his administration is committed to establishing state and community police to transform Nigeria’s security landscape. He called on CAN to collaborate with his government to achieve the nation’s collective aspirations, noting that some of the measures required time to mature.
“The mood of the nation is peaceful, although our ungoverned spaces are vast. The challenge is real, but we will surmount it. We are very religious. We are prayer warriors. We need your focus, vigilance, and cooperation,” the President said.
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He added, “Community and State Police will become a reality once the National Assembly completes the necessary legislative steps. Military hardware is difficult to replace—it is expensive and not available off the shelf. Our orders for four attack helicopters from the United States will take time to arrive. We have also approached Turkey for assistance.”
Tinubu acknowledged that delays have affected public perception of the administration’s commitment to tackling security challenges. He stressed that the government remains unwavering in its efforts to restore peace and prosperity despite the guerrilla tactics of bandits and insurgents.
Addressing recent abductions and releases of schoolchildren in Niger and Kebbi states, the President urged vigilance from all citizens. “The rhetoric on how the children were released or what happened to the kidnappers is secondary; the end justifies the means,” he said.
Archbishop Okoh assured the President of CAN’s support. “You are our President. The Church has no choice but to support you and your administration,” he said, while acknowledging receipt of palliatives typically extended to the Church during festivals and off-season.
Okoh commended Tinubu for his commitment to addressing socio-economic and security challenges, urging him to sustain his efforts. “We acknowledge that the task before you is daunting, but we are assured of your sagacity. The Christian community is committed to ensuring your success. Your dedication has bridged the gap between government and the Church, which has never happened before,” he said.
He also appealed to the President to engage directly with CAN representatives through its established structures across the country’s 774 local governments and requested the release of funds to the Christian Pilgrims’ Board to enable it to fulfil its mandate.
Other members of the delegation included Vice President of CAN, Rev. Dr Stephen Panya Baba; President of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria, Bishop Francis Wale Oke; representatives from the Organisation of African Instituted Churches, Catholic and Methodist blocs; and CAN Chairman, Lagos State, Bishop Stephen Adegbite.
Nigeria has faced persistent security challenges in recent months. In November, terrorists abducted 315 schoolchildren from St Mary’s Private Catholic Primary and Secondary School in Agwara Local Government Area. Two days later, 50 children escaped, followed by the release of 100 more two weeks after the incident.
