In a major diplomatic and domestic policy declaration on the security crisis facing the nation, Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, has strongly reaffirmed the Federal Government’s unyielding commitment to securing the country. She emphasized that the current administration is actively deepening both domestic and international security collaborations to systematically dismantle the heavily armed kidnapping syndicates, bandit networks, and violent criminal enterprises currently operating across various geopolitical zones.
The First Lady gave this comprehensive assurance on Saturday during a high-level strategic engagement with the traditional rulers of Ekiti State. The royal assembly, which was held at the Jibowu Hall within the Government House complex in Ado-Ekiti, formed a core component of her one-day official working visit to the state. The gathering brought together the state's highest-ranking monarchs to directly deliberate on local security vulnerabilities and state-sponsored intervention programs.
Addressing the traditional rulers, Senator Tinubu provided a rare insight into the geopolitical dimensions of Nigeria's internal security architecture. She revealed that highly developed nations, including the United States, are actively providing strategic intelligence and operational assistance to help Nigeria combat the evolving waves of rural banditry and mass abductions.
Furthermore, the First Lady made a significant assertion regarding the identity of the actors driving the instability. She stated plainly that a substantial portion of the armed elements terrorizing local communities are non-Nigerian actors who are infiltrating the country’s porous borders. Despite the complex, transnational nature of the threat, she maintained an optimistic outlook, declaring that the country possesses the inherent strength to overcome its current challenges.
Defending the performance and dedication of the executive branch, Senator Tinubu stressed that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu remains fully, directly, and personally engaged in the day-to-day coordination of national defense strategies. She rejected notions of administrative laxity, explaining that federal security operations and executive assessments are being conducted on a round-the-clock basis without regard for standard weekends or official holidays.
To illustrate the intense pressure of the office, the First Lady shared personal observations of the President's grueling daily routine. She assured the monarchs that the administration does not observe typical schedules, noting that the President frequently works until 3:00 a.m. to review intelligence briefs and resolve complex state matters. She credited divine faithfulness for sustaining the leadership through this demanding period and urged the citizenry to remain hopeful, resilient, and prayerful as the military continues its offensive against criminal hideouts.
Beyond the core focus on territorial defense, the First Lady utilized the royal forum to highlight a sequence of major socio-economic developments and welfare interventions executed under the umbrella of her signature program, the Renewed Hope Initiative. She argued that addressing the root socio-economic causes of crime through educational empowerment and financial inclusion is vital for long-term regional stability.
Among the specific milestones detailed during her address was the successful establishment of a fully equipped Information and Communications Technology center at the Ekiti State University to foster digital literacy among the youth. Additionally, she confirmed the disbursement of academic scholarships worth over 200 million naira for deserving students alongside direct economic stimulus grants of 50,000 naira each to approximately 2,000 local micro-traders to boost grassroot commerce. She added that vulnerable elderly citizens and individuals living with disabilities across the state continue to receive structured monthly support under the initiative's specialized welfare tracks.
In his official response on behalf of the traditional institution, the Chairman of the Ekiti State Council of Traditional Rulers, Oba Adejimi Adu-Alagbado, commended the First Lady for her visit but used the platform to demand immediate structural reforms in the national security setup. The prominent monarch argued that the persistent nature of rural kidnappings necessitates a rapid transition toward a decentralized law enforcement framework.
The royal father called upon the National Assembly and the executive branch to fast-track the passage of the constitutional amendment bill enabling the creation of state police forces. He insisted that localized policing remains the single most effective antidote to internal insecurity, as indigenous officers possess the necessary geographical familiarity to respond rapidly to forest-based crimes. While demanding stiffer penalties against kidnappers, the monarch formally re-stated the unshakeable confidence of the traditional council in President Tinubu’s leadership, pledging the continuous cooperation of the state's traditional intelligence networks with federal security agencies.
