FOR three hours yesterday, President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday met with security chiefs at the State House, Abuja.
Their discussion centred on the inauguration of President Buhari’s second term administration and insecurity across the land.
Chief of Naval Staff (CNS) Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas briefed reporters after the meeting.
He said: “I’m sure you will recall we met just about two weeks ago but the President has to call for this meeting given that tomorrow he will be sworn in. Of course basically, the meeting was to further reappraisal on the actions taken after the last meeting.
“You all recall too the spate of insecurity particularly armed banditry, kidnapping and robbery had been specifically on the increase in some parts of the country.
“The briefings were to the effect that we had better responses from the military and security agencies in those areas that we have earlier mentioned
“This is particularly because of the improved synergy amongst the various agencies that are providing information and intelligence.
“Furthermore we have also had members of the public voluntarily offer information to the areas of the security challenges.”
According to him, the President was happy with the efforts being put in place by the armed forces and other security agencies to tackle the security challenges.
He identified another area of concern as the arms inflow into the country.
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The Naval chief said: “It is only God perhaps that can police such an expanse of border that we have.”
He said that the President has directed them to do all they can to block the gaps and also those security areas that needed to be addressed.
Vice Admiral Ibas said: “The solution of course, is to identify other means and strategies of addressing the border porous nature.
“The military of course, responsibility is to defend the country but there are other agencies of government that are responsible for manning the various border openings.
“An option perhaps is the surveillance in the air and other things are being considered.”
Asked if the meeting was a valedictory one, he said “Valedictory? I’m not too sure. But I do know that the inauguration of Mr. President is tomorrow.”
On the armed forces preparations for the inauguration, he said: “The committee that is inaugurated to handle that has briefed and I think they are prepared in all that. They have a sub-committee that is responsible for security as well.”
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