President Bola Tinubu met Defence Minister General Christopher Musa (retd.) in Lagos on Monday, October 5, 2026, to review Nigeria’s security situation and ongoing military operations against insurgents and armed criminal groups, as deadly attacks continued to threaten soldiers and civilians across the country.
The meeting, held at the Presidential Residence in Lagos, focused on the national defence framework, counter-insurgency and anti-banditry operations, cooperation among security agencies, frontline logistics, troop welfare and plans to modernise military equipment and infrastructure.
The discussions followed a military briefing reporting that Nigerian troops had killed 554 suspected terrorists and other armed fighters and rescued 1,736 kidnapped civilians between July and September, although continuing attacks have raised concerns about security in vulnerable communities.
In a statement issued on Monday, Leah Katung-Babatunde, Special Adviser on Media to the Minister of Defence, said Tinubu expressed satisfaction with what he described as steady progress in securing communities and reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to supporting the Ministry of Defence.
Musa briefed the president on current defence initiatives, operational challenges facing frontline troops and proposed reforms aimed at improving military readiness, equipment and infrastructure.
The retired general also thanked Tinubu for his continued support and assured Nigerians that the ministry remained committed to carrying out its responsibilities.
However, the statement did not disclose whether the president approved additional defence funding, new military deployments, equipment purchases or a timetable for implementing the proposed reforms.
The meeting formed part of the administration’s continuing efforts to address insecurity across Nigeria, where military operations are being conducted against jihadist insurgents, armed bandits, kidnappers and other criminal groups.
Musa’s involvement was significant because of his extensive military background. Before becoming Defence Minister in December 2025, he served as Chief of Defence Staff and previously commanded Operation Hadin Kai, the military’s counter-insurgency campaign in northeastern Nigeria.
His previous responsibilities placed him directly within military operations against Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), two armed groups that have continued attacking security personnel and civilians around the Lake Chad region.
As defence minister, Musa oversees defence policy and administration, while serving military commanders retain responsibility for operational deployments.
The Lagos meeting followed a Defence Headquarters briefing in which Major General Michael Onoja, Director of Defence Media Operations, presented the armed forces’ operational results for the third quarter of 2026.
According to Onoja, troops killed 554 suspected terrorists and other armed fighters, arrested 1,333 suspects and rescued 1,736 kidnapped civilians during operations between July and September.
The military also reported that 333 insurgents surrendered, while troops recovered 244 firearms and 8,160 rounds of ammunition.
In the Niger Delta, operations against oil theft reportedly resulted in the destruction of 104 illegal refining sites and the recovery of more than 1.61 million litres of stolen petroleum products.
Defence Headquarters presented the figures as evidence of continued efforts to combat terrorism, banditry, kidnapping, organised criminal activity and attacks on Nigeria’s economic infrastructure.
The military separately reported recording 367 attacks across its operational theatres in September, reflecting the scale of armed threats confronting security personnel.
In northeastern Nigeria, Operation Hadin Kai reportedly killed 273 militants, arrested 348 suspects and rescued 297 kidnapped civilians during the third quarter.
Operation Fansan Yamma, covering parts of the northwest, reported 230 militants killed and 508 abducted civilians rescued.
Other operations included Operation Whirl Stroke in the north-central region, where armed attacks and communal violence have affected rural communities, and Operation Delta Safe, which focuses on oil theft and illegal refining activities in the Niger Delta.
The figures remain military-reported assessments and have not all been independently verified. The Ministry of Defence also did not specify whether these particular statistics were presented to Tinubu during the private meeting.
Although the reported results suggest substantial military activity, continuing violence in several parts of Nigeria has highlighted the difficulty of translating battlefield successes into lasting security for civilians.
In Borno State, suspected Boko Haram militants killed at least 15 farmers and firewood gatherers in Marte Local Government Area between September 30 and October 1.
The victims were attacked while working on farmland and gathering firewood around the communities of Ala, Gummna and Musune.
Borno State Police Command spokesperson Nahum Daso confirmed the killings and said three other residents remained missing.
Amnesty International condemned the attack, describing the targeting of civilians as a serious violation of international humanitarian law and calling for stronger protection of communities affected by the insurgency.
Another deadly incident occurred one day after Tinubu’s meeting with the defence minister.
On Tuesday night, October 6, ISWAP fighters launched a coordinated assault on the Nigerian Army’s 101 Special Forces Battalion in Kukawa, Borno State.
The military said the insurgents attacked the position from four directions before troops, supported by aircraft, repelled the assault.
Captain Mohammed Goni, spokesperson for Operation Hadin Kai, said more than 25 militants were killed, with 14 bodies recovered. He acknowledged that Nigerian soldiers had died but did not disclose an official death toll.
The Associated Press reported that 10 soldiers were killed, citing a senior military officer who spoke anonymously, while other Nigerian media reports put the figure at eight.
The Kukawa attack occurred after the Lagos meeting and was not among the incidents identified in the October 5 discussions. Nevertheless, it demonstrated the continuing threat posed by armed groups capable of organising attacks against military installations despite sustained counter-insurgency operations.
ISWAP, which emerged from divisions within Boko Haram, has repeatedly targeted remote military positions in northeastern Nigeria, sometimes attempting to seize weapons and weaken government deployments.
The latest attacks have reinforced concerns about the challenges facing troops stationed in areas where insurgents retain the ability to regroup and launch further offensives.
Another major focus of the meeting was troop morale and welfare, an issue that has become increasingly important as security personnel continue operating across several conflict-affected regions.
In August 2026, Tinubu approved salary increases of between 30 and 80 percent for approximately 250,000 members of Nigeria’s armed forces, with the revised pay structure taking effect on September 1.
Under the arrangement, personnel from private to staff sergeant received an 80 percent increase, those from warrant officer to colonel were allocated 50 percent, while officers above the rank of colonel received a 30 percent increase.
The presidency said the new arrangement would raise the armed forces’ annual salary bill from ₦660 billion to ₦924 billion, representing an additional ₦264 billion annually.
Musa welcomed the announcement at the time, describing it as recognition of the sacrifices made by military personnel confronting terrorism, banditry and other security threats.
However, the October 5 meeting statement did not indicate whether the salary increases had been fully implemented or whether additional welfare measures were approved.
Beyond salaries, military readiness depends on the availability of protective equipment, reliable transport, ammunition, communications systems, medical support and supplies needed to sustain frontline personnel.
These requirements are particularly important for troops deployed in remote areas, where difficult terrain and disrupted supply routes can complicate military operations.
The proposed modernisation discussed in Lagos could address some of these challenges, although the government did not identify specific procurement contracts, new equipment purchases or infrastructure projects arising from the meeting.
The discussions also examined the need for stronger cooperation among security agencies, given the different threats affecting Nigeria’s regions.
While Boko Haram and ISWAP remain major security challenges in the northeast, armed banditry and kidnapping continue to affect parts of the northwest and north-central regions.
Other areas face communal violence, separatist-related insecurity, oil theft and organised criminal activities.
Improved coordination between the military, police and intelligence agencies could strengthen information sharing, joint planning and responses to emerging threats.
However, the Ministry of Defence did not announce a new inter-agency command structure or specific operational agreement resulting from the discussions.
The continuing insecurity also carries serious humanitarian and economic consequences.
Years of armed violence have displaced families, disrupted farming and trading, restricted access to healthcare and education, and prevented residents in some communities from returning safely to their homes.
In northeastern Nigeria, where agriculture, fishing and local trade remain essential sources of livelihood, attacks on civilians and restrictions on movement have contributed to food insecurity and prolonged humanitarian needs.
The European Commission, citing an October 2025 food-security assessment, warned that the number of Nigerians facing acute food shortages could reach 34.8 million by mid-2026, reflecting the combined pressures of conflict, displacement and other economic and environmental challenges.
For vulnerable communities, improved security means more than the number of militants killed or suspects arrested. It also involves the ability to travel safely, cultivate farmland, access essential services and rebuild livelihoods without fear of attacks or abduction.
Despite the broad agenda of the Lagos meeting, important questions remain about the implementation of the proposed reforms, including whether new defence funding will be approved, when equipment upgrades will begin and what specific measures will strengthen cooperation among security agencies.
The government also provided no new performance targets or implementation deadlines, leaving the practical impact of the discussions dependent on subsequent decisions and actions.
For Tinubu and Musa, the challenge remains translating reported military achievements, troop welfare commitments and defence reforms into sustained protection for security personnel and civilians.
The deadly attacks in Borno surrounding the meeting underline the continuing human and security costs of Nigeria’s prolonged fight against insurgency, even as the government maintains that its counter-insurgency operations are making progress.
