Tinubu Orders National Threat Assessment, Five-Year Defence Plan to Tackle Nigeria’s Security Challenges

President Bola Tinubu has ordered the immediate development of a comprehensive National Threat Assessment and a five-year Strategic Defence Operations Plan to strengthen Nigeria’s response to growing security threats.

The directive was issued at Wednesday’s Federal Executive Council meeting in Abuja, where Tinubu said the country needs a coordinated framework to identify emerging threats, set clear operational priorities and ensure security resources are deployed where they are most needed.

An 11-member committee has been constituted to produce the two strategic documents within 90 days. The committee will be coordinated by the President’s Special Adviser on Homeland Security, Major General Adeyinka Famadewa, who will also provide secretariat support.

Other members include National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu; Defence Minister Christopher Musa; Minister of State for Defence Bello Muhammad Matawalle; Chief of Defence Staff Olufemi Oluyede; Chief of Army Staff Waidi Shaibu; Chief of Air Staff Sunday Kelvin Aneke; and Chief of Naval Staff Idi Abbas. The Directors-General of the Department of State Services, Tosin Ajayi, and National Intelligence Agency, Muhammed Muhammed, are also members.

Tinubu said recent security operations, including the rescue of abducted pupils and teachers in Oyo State, showed the gains that could be achieved when military, intelligence and security agencies operate with shared objectives and timely intelligence.

The President said security needs had often been handled separately without a common national threat assessment or medium-term operational plan. He argued that this approach could make coordination harder and lead to inefficient use of available resources.

The National Threat Assessment is expected to identify Nigeria’s major security threats, rank them by urgency and establish objectives for addressing them. The Strategic Defence Operations Plan will then outline the forces, equipment, capabilities and support required across different operational theatres, while identifying gaps and setting an implementation timetable.

Tinubu directed the committee to begin work immediately and submit the completed documents within 90 days for his consideration and approval. Once approved, the plan will guide military and defence operations over the medium term and provide a basis for a multi-year defence spending and procurement framework.