Tinubu orders 90-day national security threat assessment, five-year defence plan

President Bola Tinubu has instructed a group of nine senior military and intelligence officials to complete a detailed National Threat Assessment and a five-year Strategic Defence Operations Plan within three months. The President announced this decision during a meeting of the Federal Executive Council at the State House in Abuja.

The committee, which will be led by Major General Adeyinka Famadewa and will consist of the National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu, the Minister of Defence General Christopher Musa, the Minister of State for Defence Bello Muhammad Matawalle, the Chief of Defence Staff General Olufemi Oluyede, the Chief of Army Staff Lt. General Waidi Shaibu, the Chief of Air Staff Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke, the Chief of Naval Staff Vice Admiral Idi Abbas, the Director-General of the Department of State Service Tosin Ajayi, and the Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency Ambassador Muhammed Muhammed, will begin their work immediately.

The National Threat Assessment will identify the most pressing threats to Nigeria, assess their urgency, and establish operational objectives to counter them. The Strategic Defence Operations Plan will convert this assessment into specific priorities, outlining the necessary resources and capabilities. Once completed, the plan will serve as the guiding framework for military and defence operations over the medium term.

The committee may also seek input from other relevant ministries, departments, and agencies as needed to ensure a comprehensive approach to national security. The President emphasized that once approved, the Strategic Defence Operations Plan should guide a corresponding multi-year defence spending and procurement plan, aligning budgetary resources with agreed national security priorities.