President Bola Tinubu on Sunday said Nigeria has secured French collaboration on military equipment and support following a lengthy discussion with French President Emmanuel Macron on Saturday.
The President disclosed this during a meeting with governors at his Ikoyi residence in Lagos, where he observed the Eid-el-Fitr holidays after returning from his two-day state visit to the United Kingdom.
This is according to excerpts of the President’s address to the governors at the meeting made available to The PUNCH Sunday evening.
Tinubu revealed that Nigeria was prepared to leverage its goodwill and existing lines of credit to acquire necessary equipment and training for security forces in the fight against terrorism.
He said, “I can report to you, yesterday again, at a lengthy discussion with Emmanuel Macron, their collaboration with us for equipment and support.
“I’m making frantic efforts to contact other nations. If we have to spend our goodwill and line of credit, we have those who are willing to support us with equipment and training.”
He described insecurity as the next major challenge confronting his administration, emphasising the need for collective effort to achieve victory.
“The next phase of our struggle is staring us in the face; it is the challenge of insecurity in this country.
“I’m making all the efforts to ensure that collectively we share the joy and be proud of victory over tyranny,” Tinubu said.
The President stressed that insecurity remained an enemy of development, progress, and prosperity, expressing confidence that governors were mindful of the challenge.
He disclosed that one of the major discussions during his state visit to the UK centred on military equipment acquisition.
“One of the major discussions in the UK is equipment.
I can report to you, yesterday again, at a lengthy discussion with Emmanuel Macron, their collaboration with us for equipment and support,” he stated.
At the meeting attended by Vice President Kashim Shettima, Tinubu also addressed economic concerns, acknowledging that the Middle East crisis would affect inflation and purchasing power in Nigeria.
“I know this Middle East crisis will elicit inflation, will affect our purchasing power.
“The labour union and others will be gathering to support them because of the effect of the Middle East War and prices at the pumps, resulting in transportation problems and food prices,” he stated.
The President expressed appreciation to the governors for responding to his invitation on short notice, describing their attendance as impressive and demonstrating sincerity, commitment, and the value of friendship and togetherness.
“I am very surprised at the short notice that this number is extremely impressive.
“It shows our sincerity, commitment and the value of friendship and togetherness. I thank every one of you for what we have been doing,” he said.
Tinubu also called on governors to focus on caring for the vulnerable in their states, stating that while they are all doing well, they can do better.
He extended condolences to Governor Babagana Zulum of Borno State over last Monday’s bombings, urging him to return immediately to give a message of sympathy and condolence to the people.
The President reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to investing in technology and equipment to defeat terrorism and other security threats across the country.
“We must defeat terrorism and all of these criminal acts. As our investment in technology and equipment, we must defeat them,” he declared.
Nigeria has been battling multiple security challenges, including Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province insurgencies in the North-East, banditry in the North-West and North-Central regions, separatist agitations in the South-East, and kidnapping across various parts of the country.
France has historically maintained military cooperation with several West African countries and has been involved in counter-terrorism operations in the Sahel region, where terrorist groups have exploited security vacuums to expand their operations.
The meeting with governors comes barely a week after the Maiduguri bomb blasts that killed 23 people and injured 108 others in coordinated suicide attacks.
Following the incident, President Tinubu had directed security chiefs to relocate to Maiduguri to take charge of the security situation and approved additional equipment and operational support to enhance counter-terrorism capabilities.
Vice President Kashim Shettima on Tuesday visited victims receiving treatment at the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital.
He assured Nigerians that beyond the presidential directive to security chiefs, the Federal Government was investing more in equipment and logistics to boost the fight against terrorism.
The President’s disclosure follows his state visit to the UK, where he held discussions with King Charles III, Queen Camilla, and Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
During the visit, Nigeria and the UK sealed new export agreements and discussed deepening cooperation on security matters, with Tinubu emphasising that partnership with the United Kingdom remains essential in confronting terrorism challenges in West Africa.
(Punch)
