President Bola Tinubu met with the nation's security chiefs and intelligence heads on Monday. This closed-door session took place at the State House in Abuja.

The meeting addressed the recent spike in insurgent activities across the country. It also focused on the fallout from a weekend military operation in the Northeast.

The President requested a full briefing on current operational strategies. He sat with the Chief of Defence Staff, General Oluyede.

Investigation into the Jilli Market Incident

The meeting followed a Nigerian Air Force strike on Saturday at Jilli Market. This location sits in Borno State right along the Yobe State border.

While the mission targeted Boko Haram members, reports indicate civilians were hit. Authorities are currently verifying the total number of victims from the blast, but several international news agencies put at the figure at “hundreds“.

“The President wants a clear account of the rules of engagement used during that mission,” a source within the State House stated.

“We cannot afford collateral damage while fighting to keep the nation safe,” the official continued during the private briefing session.

General Waidi Shaibu and Vice Admiral Idi Abbas were present. Air Marshal Sunday Anele also provided technical details regarding the specific airstrike.

National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu joined the discussions as well. Consequently, the team reviewed the intelligence protocols used by the NIA and DSS.

Coordinating Intelligence for National Stability

Ambassador Mohammed Mohammed and Oluwatosin Ajayi represented the intelligence community. They analyzed the recent patterns of insurgent movements in the northern regions.

The Inspector-General of Police, Tunji Disu, also attended the summit. He briefed the President on internal security and policing efforts in affected states.

“Our goal is to ensure that every agency works in total harmony to prevent further attacks,” a spokesperson for the security team explained.

“We are reviewing the data from the border regions to improve our response times,” the representative added after the three-hour meeting concluded.

Furthermore, the President directed the chiefs to increase surveillance near vulnerable markets. This directive seeks to prevent insurgents from using civilians as human shields.

Nigeria has been facing this intractable security monster since 2011. Meanwhile, the administration says it is attempting to balance kinetic operations with community-based intelligence, but so far, the insurgents remain undefeated.

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