By President Bola Tinubu has assured Nigerians that recent adjustments to the nation’s security framework will begin to yield tangible results, despite ongoing challenges across parts of the country.
The President gave the assurance on Friday while receiving a delegation of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), led by its President, Archbishop Daniel Okoh, at his Lagos residence.
Tinubu said his administration remains committed to overhauling the country’s security architecture, with plans to introduce state and community policing as part of efforts to address insecurity at the grassroots.
According to him, some of the policies being implemented require time to take full effect, urging religious leaders to collaborate with the government in achieving national stability.
“The challenge is real, particularly with the size of our ungoverned spaces, but we will overcome it,” the President said. “We need your vigilance, cooperation, and continued engagement as we work through these difficulties.”
He disclosed that the establishment of state and community police is dependent on the completion of required legislative processes by the National Assembly, adding that strengthening military capacity also comes with logistical and financial constraints.
Tinubu noted that Nigeria has placed orders for attack helicopters from the United States, while also seeking support from Turkey, explaining that delays in delivery have affected public perception of the government’s response to security threats.
Despite the setbacks, the President said the administration remains resolute in its efforts to restore peace, stressing that criminal groups continue to adopt guerrilla-style tactics.
Commenting on the recent abduction and subsequent release of schoolchildren in parts of Niger and Kebbi states, Tinubu called for heightened vigilance, noting that the safe return of the victims was the priority.
“The focus should be on the outcome. How the children regained their freedom matters less than the fact that they are safe,” he said.
Responding, CAN President Archbishop Daniel Okoh pledged the support of the Christian community for the Tinubu administration, describing the President as deserving of the Church’s backing.
He also acknowledged the receipt of palliatives provided to the association during religious celebrations and beyond, commending the government’s engagement with faith-based groups.
Archbishop Okoh praised the President’s commitment to addressing the nation’s socio-economic and security challenges, urging him to remain steadfast.
He, however, appealed for sustained engagement with CAN through its established structures across the country and called for the release of funds to the Christian Pilgrims’ Board to enable it to carry out its mandate.
Other members of the delegation included CAN Vice President, Rev. Dr. Stephen Panya Baba; President of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria, Bishop Francis Wale Oke; representatives of the Catholic, Methodist, and African Instituted Churches blocs; and the CAN Chairman in Lagos State, Bishop Stephen Adegbite.
