President Bola Tinubu on Monday evening held a closed-door meeting with the Service Chiefs at the Aso Rock Presidential Villa, Abuja, amid heightened security concerns across the country.
The meeting, which began around 6:01 pm, saw the heads of the armed forces arrive at the Presidential Villa before proceeding to the President’s office. It was Tinubu’s first engagement with the military high command since the swearing-in of General Christopher Musa (retd.) as Minister of Defence on December 4, 2025.
Although the official agenda of the meeting was not disclosed, it took place against the backdrop of persistent security challenges, including the continued captivity of 115 students abducted from a Catholic boarding school in November and the Senate’s recent approval for the deployment of Nigerian troops to Benin Republic following an attempted coup.
The meeting also coincided with intensified military operations against terrorist groups in the North-East. On December 14, the Nigerian Air Force carried out precision air interdiction strikes at Dabar Masara, a known terrorist enclave in the Southern Tumbuns of Borno State.
The operation, conducted by the Air Component of Joint Task Force Operation HADIN KAI, targeted a terrorist workshop and several vehicles concealed under vegetation, identified as part of an active logistics hub. The Director of Public Relations and Information of the Nigerian Air Force, Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, said post-strike assessments confirmed the destruction of the vehicles and the neutralisation of terrorist elements.
He noted that intelligence-driven air operations remain critical to disrupting terrorist networks and improving security across the North-East. The Southern Tumbuns, a vast marshland around Lake Chad, has long served as a major hideout for terrorist groups.
Meanwhile, troops of Joint Task Force Operation Enduring Peace recorded further successes in Kaduna and Plateau states. According to the task force spokesman, Major Samson Zhakom, operations conducted between December 11 and 13 led to the neutralisation of several kidnappers and the rescue of abducted victims.
On December 11, troops carried out clearance operations in Dangoma and Godogodo villages in Jema’a Local Government Area of Kaduna State, neutralising three suspected kidnappers. A day later, a covert operation in Plateau State led to the killing of a notorious kidnapper and gunrunner linked to crimes in Bassa and Jos North LGAs. Recovered items included a pistol, ammunition, a dagger, a mobile phone and cash.
On December 13, troops foiled an impending attack in Gidan-Saki Village, Zangon Kataf LGA of Kaduna State, forcing the criminals to abandon their plan. The same day, an ambush operation in Jengre, Plateau State, following the kidnapping of four persons in Rimi Village, resulted in the rescue of all victims and the neutralisation of one kidnapper. An AK-47 rifle, a magazine and 13 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition were recovered.
Major Zhakom said the task force remains committed to sustaining pressure on criminal elements and ensuring the safety of residents in its areas of operation.
The developments underscore the Federal Government’s renewed push to tackle insecurity, dismantle terrorist networks and secure the release of abducted citizens nationwide.