President Muhamadu Buhari is presiding over a meeting of the National Security Council (NSC) at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
Although the agenda for the meeting is usually kept under wraps, there are indications that it is being called to review security and other safety issues across the country.
President Buhari recently gave the nation’s armed forces a marching order to address the country’s security challenges, as he wishes to leave a legacy of a secure and safe country.
The Nigerian Armed Forces also recently secured the release of the remaining 23 passengers kidnapped in the Abuja-Kaduna bound train earlier this year, which excited Buhari.
Key government functionaries in attendance at the meeting are Vice President Yemi Osinbajo; Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Mr Boss Mustapha; the National Security Adviser (NSA), Major General Babagana Monguno (rtd); and the Chief of Staff to the President, Professor Ibrahim Gambari.
Equally attending the meeting physically are the Minister of Defense, Major General Bashir Magashi (Rtd); Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola; and Minister of Police Affairs, Mohammed Maigari Dingyadi.
The Chief of Defence Staff, General Lucky Irabor, led the service chiefs, including the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Farouk Yahaya; Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Awwal Gambo; the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Isiaka Oladayo Amao, are present at the meeting.
The Inspector-General of Police, Alkali Baba Usman, the Director-General of the Department of State Service (DSS), Yusuf Bichi, and the Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), Ahmed Rufai Abubakar, are also in attendance.
Major General Samuel Adebayo, the Chief of Defense Intelligence, is also present at the meeting.