On Sunday, November 24, 2025, President Bola Tinubu presided over a high-stakes security meeting at the State House in Abuja, gathering Nigeria’s top military and intelligence brass to confront an alarming surge in kidnappings, banditry, and terrorism across the country’s North-West and North-Central regions. The confidential session, confirmed by Special Assistant Dada Olusegun via social media, brought together newly appointed Service Chiefs—Chief of Defence Staff General Olufemi Oluyede, Chief of Army Staff Major General Waidi Shaibu, Chief of Naval Staff Rear Admiral Idi Abbas, Chief of Air Staff Air Vice-Marshal Kennedy Aneke—alongside Inspector General of Police Olukayode Egbetokun and the Director-General of the Department of State Service. Major General Emmanuel Undiandeye, continuing in his role as Chief of Defence Intelligence, also joined the deliberations, which included other senior security advisers and agency heads.
According to The Guardian, the meeting signified a critical moment for the Tinubu administration, which has, in recent weeks, faced mounting pressure to stem a wave of violent abductions and restore public confidence in national security. The President’s October 2025 appointments of new Service Chiefs were designed to inject fresh resolve into Nigeria’s security apparatus, and Sunday’s gathering was expected to review ongoing operations, assess troop deployments, and devise new strategies to bolster counter-terrorism efforts and inter-agency coordination. As one senior aide put it, the session aimed to "enhance synergy among the security services" and ensure rapid response capabilities were up to the task.
This high-level meeting unfolded against a backdrop of harrowing incidents that have gripped the nation. In a post on his verified X handle, President Tinubu lauded security forces for recent breakthroughs. He announced the successful rescue of all 38 worshippers who had been abducted earlier in the week from Christ Apostolic Church in Eruku, Kwara State—a feat achieved, he emphasized, following days of intensified operations. The President had personally overseen these efforts after cancelling his scheduled trip to the G20 Summit in Johannesburg, South Africa. "You will recall that I cancelled my trip to the G20 Summit in South Africa to enable me to coordinate the security efforts at home. Thanks to the efforts of our security forces over the last few days, all the 38 worshippers abducted in Eruku, Kwara State, have been rescued," Tinubu stated.
But the rescue of the churchgoers was not the only recent success. Tinubu also confirmed the safe recovery of 51 students abducted from a Catholic school in Niger State, further underscoring the government’s commitment to protecting vulnerable communities. "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," the President declared, reiterating his determination to sustain pressure on criminal elements and restore stability nationwide.
These dramatic developments have unfolded as security agencies redouble efforts on multiple fronts. According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), troops operating under Operation FANSAN YAMMA (OPFY) have intensified search-and-rescue missions for abducted schoolchildren in Niger, Kebbi, and Zamfara states. In the past 24 hours alone, military units neutralized terrorists and destroyed their hideouts across key corridors in the North Central and North West. Troops of the 22 Brigade responded rapidly to the abduction of students from St Mary’s School in Papiri, Agwara Local Government Area of Niger, deploying intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) aircraft and ground teams to track the kidnappers’ withdrawal route. The search was soon expanded to the Audu Fari axis in Borgu Local Government Area, reflecting a broadened operational scope.
Meanwhile, in Mariga Local Government Area, soldiers at Forward Operating Base Gulbin Boka ambushed terrorists as they attempted to regroup near Magaman Daji, inflicting casualties and capturing four motorcycles. On the Kebbi front, troops intensified efforts to rescue students abducted from GGSS Maga on November 17, conducting a major operation around the Gando/Sunke Forest in Kebbi and Talata Mafara Local Government Area of Zamfara. These strikes destroyed three terrorist camps and forced criminals to abandon their hideouts. Troops also recovered a lost international passport belonging to a female resident of Bagega, a poignant reminder of the disruption these attacks cause to ordinary lives.
The Nigerian Army has publicly reiterated its commitment to sustaining these operations until every abducted student is rescued and terrorist networks are crippled across the North Central and North West. As one Army source told NAN, "the army’s commitment remains unwavering until all abducted students are rescued and terrorist networks are crippled."
But the fight against insecurity is not being waged by Nigeria alone. In a significant diplomatic development, the Presidency announced that the United States Government has signaled a renewed commitment to strengthening security collaboration with Nigeria. This includes expanded intelligence sharing and the supply of military equipment to support counter-terrorism and counter-extremism operations nationwide. The assurance came after a series of high-level meetings in Washington the previous week, where a Nigerian delegation led by National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu met with officials from the US Congress, the White House Faith Office, the State Department, the National Security Council, and the Department of War.
According to a statement by Special Adviser Bayo Onanuga, the Nigerian team addressed misconceptions about the country’s security situation, dismissing claims of genocide and emphasizing that violence in Nigeria affects all communities, regardless of religion or ethnicity. "The discussions provided ample opportunity to correct misconceptions about Nigeria, forged a constructive, solution-driven partnership with the United States, reinforced mutual trust, and advanced a coordinated approach to protecting vulnerable communities, especially in the Middle Belt," Onanuga noted.
The United States expressed its willingness to provide humanitarian assistance to affected populations and technical support to strengthen early-warning mechanisms. Both countries agreed to immediately implement a non-binding cooperation framework and to set up a Joint Working Group to coordinate actions in priority areas. The Nigerian government, for its part, reaffirmed its commitment to improving civilian protection and addressing concerns around religious freedom and security. "The Federal Government restates its awareness of heightened sensitivities regarding religious freedom and security, and urges citizens to remain assured that firm, urgent, and coordinated steps are being taken to secure the nation," Onanuga said.
As Nigeria faces one of its most challenging periods in recent memory, the synergy between domestic security reforms and renewed international partnerships may prove pivotal. While the nation’s security agencies are under intense scrutiny, recent rescue operations and diplomatic breakthroughs offer a measure of hope. Ultimately, the government’s ability to deliver on its promise of safety for every Nigerian will be the true test of these efforts.
