The National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu, says Nigeria is better secure than it was before the Tinubu-led administration came into power.
Ribadu noted that while other countries are literally on their knees, Nigeria is standing strong “and confronting the evil”, adding that the recent Boko Haram attacks in Borno State was due to the resurgence of Jihadi activists in the Sahel region.
The NSA stated this at Banquet Hall, State House, Abuja, during a one-day All Progressives Congress (APC) summit with the theme “Renewed Hope Agenda: The Journey So Far”.
He clarified that the Sahel region is under severe security threat that led to collapse of democracy in places like Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger, and bleeding others such as Chad, Cameroon and Benin Republic.
According to him, the Tinubu administration inherited five active security challenges to include Boko Haram in the North East and banditry in the North West.
He also listed secessionist agitations by the IPOB/ESN in the Southeast, Niger-Delta unrest and communal conflicts/herder-farmer conflicts especially in the North Central.
Ribadu explained that over 35,000 and 12,000 persons were affected by the Boko Haram and banditry crises, respectively, while millions of people were rendered homeless in the affected areas.
The NSA said with the security agencies working as a team to tackle challenges such as the sit-at-home in the South East and sabotage of oil installations in the Niger Delta, and it has been substantially addressed.
Giving the breakdown, Ribadu said over 13,543 Boko Haram elements were neutralised in the past two years while over 11,000 arms were recovered and destroyed from the terrorists.
He further noted 124,408 Boko Haram fighters and their families surrendered to troops since the coming of this administration.
The NSA said despite some setbacks, operations are going on in Tumbuktu Triangle, Tumbu islands and other enclaves to smoke out the insurgents.
