By Peter Omopo
Abuja | July 5, 2025 — The National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, has declared that the administration of President Bola Tinubu is making significant progress in addressing the complex security challenges inherited from previous administrations.
Speaking on Friday night at the 50th anniversary celebration of the Nigerian Defence Academy’s 18 Regular Course in Abuja, Ribadu highlighted the strides made by the government in restoring national security and public confidence.
Delivering a lecture titled “Veterans As Significant National Assets,” Ribadu reflected on the precarious state of the nation in 2022, describing Nigeria as being at a “dangerous crossroads,” with multiple crises threatening its unity and stability.
“When this administration took office in May 2023, Nigeria was battling five intractable security threats,” he said. “These included Boko Haram insurgency in the North East, rampant banditry in the North West and North Central, separatist violence in the South East, widespread oil theft in the Niger Delta, and deadly communal clashes.”
Ribadu added that Nigeria also faced challenges from porous borders, transnational crime, and climate-induced resource conflicts, all contributing to a volatile national security environment.
He praised the government’s counterinsurgency efforts, noting that over 13,500 terrorists and criminals had been neutralised, while more than 124,000 Boko Haram and ISWAP fighters, along with their families, had surrendered. He also reported the recovery of large weapons caches and thousands of rounds of ammunition.
“Areas formerly held by insurgents in the Sambisa Forest, Lake Chad Basin, and Timbuktu Triangle have now been reclaimed by the Nigerian military,” Ribadu stated.
Focusing on the North West, the NSA revealed that more than 11,250 hostages had been rescued from Zamfara and Kaduna states, and notorious bandit leaders such as Ali Kachalla, Halilu Sububu, and Dogo Bwari had been neutralised. He said over 50 criminal leaders and their deputies had been removed from active threat lists.
Ribadu emphasized the need to continue leveraging the expertise of Nigeria’s military veterans as national assets, especially in the areas of security strategy and mentorship for younger officers.
The event was part of ongoing celebrations marking five decades since the graduation of the NDA’s 18 Regular Course, which includes prominent figures in the country’s military and political spheres.
