On Thursday, President Bola Tinubu issued a directive to Service Chiefs and the heads of security and intelligence organizations stating that his administration would not accept any involvement in oil theft.

The President added that, in his opinion, Nigeria shouldn’t fall to her knees because of security issues when other nations are working hard, progressing, and making great strides.

This was said by President Tinubu during his first official meeting at the Presidential Villa in Abuja with the heads of security and intelligence, who were accompanied by General Lucky Irabor, the Chief of Defence Staff.

The National Security Advisor, NSA, Major Gen. Bafana Monguno (retd), informed State House reporters during the two-hour meeting that the President had instructed chiefs of security services to release their plans.

He claimed it was an evaluation meeting where the President would learn about the actions of the various security formations and share his own attitude and expectations with the security heads.

He said, “The President and Commander in Chief of the armed forces has just concluded a meeting of the general security appraisal committee consisting of the Chief of Staff service chiefs, Inspector General of Police, and heads of the intelligence agencies.

“This is the very first meeting he’s had with the heads of the security agencies. The meeting lasted for two hours.

“Having been briefed by the participants of the meeting, Mr President, addressed prevailing issues confronting the nation in terms of insecurity and also mentioned his own philosophy towards dealing with national security issues.

“First and foremost, he appreciated the armed forces and intelligence agencies and the wider paramilitary agencies for the work they have been doing in the past couple of years. Their sacrifice, their loyalty, and he also paid tribute to those who died in defending this country, from the great menace of terrorism, insurgency banditry, oil theft, sea robbery, piracy, etc.

“The President has made it very clear that he’s determined to build on whatever gains that have been made and to reverse misfortunes and turn the tide in our favor.

“As far as he’s concerned, this country should not be on its knees struggling while other countries are working and achieving greater heights.”

President Tinubu stressed that his own ideology is one of modern security measures dealing with the needs of the present in saying that he needs the security services to step up their efforts in bringing the country forward.

He has made it obvious that he won’t allow a situation in which our fortunes continue to decline, the NSA claims. His personal trajectory is that there must be a clearinghouse, a basket system, or whatever is necessary to coordinate national security.

“All agencies must work to achieve one single purpose. Working at cross purposes and colliding with each other is not something that he will condone. He has made it very, very clear that all the security agencies must comply with the demands of coordination, with the demands of frequent consultations and also timely reports which must be acted on.

“He is going to embark on a lot of reforms in terms of our security architecture, he is going to take a closer look at our misfortunes in the maritime domain, focusing particularly on the issues of oil theft, that as far as he is concerned, he is not going to tolerate oil theft Wherever the problem is coming from it must be crushed as soon as possible.

According to what he knows, he has already ordered the security services to create a blueprint, and he doesn’t believe he has the luxury of time. And whatever adjustments are necessary, they must be made as soon as feasible.

“The President also has decided that whatever ventures the armed forces are going to be engaged in, they must carry along those operatives in the theater. They must be well-fed, well-kitted, motivated and given all that they require.

“The President has said clearly that he will do whatever is within his powers to enable the operational elements but the intelligence agencies must also make their work easy for them by providing the type of intelligence that they require to carry out the assignment.”