JUST IN: Buhari meets North-East governors, security chiefs over insecurity

Nigeria’s President, Muhammadu Buhari sets up a meeting with Governors from the six Northeast states and security chiefs over rising insecurity in the region

At the meeting in Abuja on Monday were Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo; the National Security Adviser, Major General Babagana Monguno (retd); and the Chief of Staff, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari.

Governors in attendance include Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum; Ahmadu Fintri of Adamawa; Bala Mohammed of Bauchi; Inuwa Yahaya of Gombe; Darius Ishaku of Taraba; and Mai Mala Buni of Yobe.

Others are: Chief of Defence Staff, General Gabriel Olonisakin; Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Tukur Buratai; Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ibok Ekwe Ibas; Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, the Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu; Director-General, Department of State Services, Yusuf Bichi; Director-General, National Intelligence Agency, Ahmed Rufa’i; Minister of Defence, Bashir Magashi and the Minister of Police Affairs, Mohammad Dingyadi.

The meeting was held after the Governors, on Saturday, elected Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum, as Chairman of the region’s Governors Forum.

The Governors had pledged to partner with the government to fight Boko Haram and requested for more hardware for the military to tackle insurgency in the region.

They asked the military to intensify efforts to secure hard-to-reach areas in the region and ensure safe access to farm-lands.