President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Tuesday assured Nigerians that the Federal Government’s ongoing restructuring of security operations and institutions would lead to the defeat of terrorism, banditry and kidnapping across the country.
The President gave the assurance while receiving the leadership of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN), led by its President, Most Rev. Matthew Ndagoso, Archbishop of Kaduna, at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
Nineteen senior leaders of the Catholic Church attended the meeting, during which issues of national security, education, democracy and poverty were discussed.
Addressing the delegation, President Tinubu said the country’s security architecture was being repositioned for greater effectiveness through improved intelligence gathering, institutional reforms, enhanced logistics and better welfare for security personnel serving on the front lines.
According to him, the administration has intensified efforts to strengthen the armed forces and other security agencies as part of a broader strategy to restore peace and stability nationwide.
“We don’t have another country but this Nigeria,” the President said. “In our complexity and diversity, we shall thrive, live, rejoice and be good to all humanity.”
He disclosed that he had approved the expansion of the armed forces, including the acquisition of additional military equipment and the construction of new barracks.
“We will defeat terrorism,” he declared, urging religious leaders to support the campaign against violent extremism by preaching peace and condemning attacks on innocent citizens.
President Tinubu called on the Catholic bishops and other faith leaders to guide their members toward national unity and support government efforts aimed at ending insurgency and other forms of violent crime.
On the economy, the President maintained that the country had been placed on a sound footing and that the administration had successfully stabilised the economy after inheriting severe fiscal and financial challenges.
“I can tell you categorically with sincerity that the country has been placed on a sound footing,” he said. “The economy has recovered. The alarm for bankruptcy and the dark tunnel of uncertainty we met when we came into office have changed.”
He added that the government had steered the country away from financial distress and that signs of economic recovery were becoming evident.
“The spirit of the people is lifting, and the economic turmoil we feared has cleared. This government has stabilised the economy, and there is prosperity on the horizon,” the President stated.
President Tinubu also highlighted social intervention programmes designed to improve citizens’ welfare, including the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), which provides financial support for students in tertiary institutions.
He encouraged Nigerians to take advantage of opportunities in education, entrepreneurship and skills acquisition, stressing that human capital development remains critical to reducing poverty and unemployment.
“We owe it to generations yet unborn to sustain this nation,” he said, adding that unity, stability and prosperity must remain sacred national objectives.
The President pointed to the relative stability in the university system as evidence of progress in the education sector.
“You can no longer say that a four-year course will take six or seven years because of repeated strikes. ASUU is not on strike. For me, that is an answered prayer,” he remarked.
Speaking on preparations for the 2027 general elections, Tinubu insisted that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had remained neutral.
“The opportunities are equal. INEC is neutral and has not intimidated anyone,” he said, dismissing allegations of bias by opposition parties.
The President also addressed the issue of mission schools, noting that state governments have constitutional authority to decide whether such schools should be returned to their original proprietors.
He recalled that during his tenure as governor of Lagos State, his administration returned mission schools to their owners, adding that the policy had the support of church leaders at the time.
Tinubu further disclosed that the Federal Government had approved additional universities to meet the growing demand for higher education and said data from the National Universities Commission (NUC) would help guide the budgeting and implementation of NELFUND.
“I believe in education as a pathway out of poverty,” he said.
Earlier in his remarks, Archbishop Ndagoso thanked the President for the reception accorded Archbishop Paul Gallagher, Secretary for Relations with States and International Organisations of the Holy See, during the recent commemoration of 50 years of diplomatic relations between Nigeria and the Vatican.
The CBCN President expressed concern over insecurity, poverty, limited access to quality tertiary education, the need to sustain democratic gains and the importance of credible elections.
He urged the Federal Government to ensure fairness in the treatment of all worshippers and to support the provision of places of worship across the country without discrimination.
Archbishop Ndagoso also appealed for free and fair elections in 2027, saying that President Tinubu’s greatest legacy should be the strengthening of Nigeria’s democratic institutions.
“As a man who risked much in the struggle against military dictatorship, your enduring legacy would be the strengthening of our democratic institutions,” he said.
The delegation included prominent Catholic leaders such as Cardinals John Onaiyekan and Peter Okpaleke, Archbishops Ignatius Kaigama, Alfred Martins and Valerian Okeke, Bishops Matthew Kukah, Emmanuel Badejo, Gerald Musa, Godfrey Onah and several other senior clerics from across the country.
