President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has assured Nigerians that ongoing reforms of the country’s security architecture would culminate in the defeat of terrorism, banditry and kidnapping, while calling on religious leaders to support government efforts to restore peace and national stability.
The President gave the assurance on Tuesday, July 28, 2026, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, while receiving the leadership of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN), led by its President and Archbishop of Kaduna, Most Rev. Matthew Ndagoso.
President Tinubu said his administration was repositioning the nation’s security institutions through enhanced intelligence gathering, restructuring of operations, improved logistics and better welfare for frontline personnel to address the country’s security challenges.
The President said, “We don’t have another country but here – this Nigeria. I have just approved the expansion of the armed forces. We are getting more equipment, building new barracks. We will defeat terrorism. It should be part of your sermons.”
He urged the Catholic bishops and other religious leaders to continue condemning violent attacks, guide their members towards peaceful coexistence and partner with government in the fight against insurgency and other forms of criminality.
On the economy, Tinubu maintained that his administration had stabilised the country and steered it away from the economic difficulties it inherited, expressing optimism that prosperity was on the horizon.
“I can tell you categorically with sincerity that the country has been placed on a sound footing. The economy has recovered. The alarm for bankruptcy and the dark tunnel of uncertainty that we had when I came in has been changed,” he said.
According to the President, interventions such as the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) would continue to expand access to higher education and improve the livelihoods of Nigerians.
He also encouraged citizens to embrace education, entrepreneurship and skills acquisition, describing them as critical tools for overcoming poverty.
Highlighting improvements in the education sector, Tinubu noted that university academic calendars had become more stable, with industrial actions by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) no longer disrupting academic activities.
“You can’t say a four-year course in the university is not four years now. ASUU is not on strike. They are not bringing agony to our homes. Is that not an answer to our prayers?” he said.
Speaking on preparations for the 2027 general elections, the President insisted that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) remained impartial and would provide a level playing field for all political parties.
“The opportunities are equal. INEC is neutral. They have never intimidated anyone. If political opponents are crying wolf, maybe they are afraid of their own shadows and uncertainty in the companies they keep, not me,” he stated.
Tinubu also reiterated that state governments have the constitutional authority to decide on the return of mission schools, recalling that he restored mission schools during his tenure as governor of Lagos State.
“I returned all mission schools when I was the governor of Lagos State, and Cardinal Okogie, one of my best friends, is alive to testify to that,” he said.
Earlier, CBCN President, Most Rev. Matthew Ndagoso, commended President Tinubu for the reception accorded Archbishop Paul Gallagher, the Holy See’s Secretary for Relations with States and International Organisations, during the celebration of 50 years of diplomatic relations between Nigeria and the Vatican.
Ndagoso, however, identified security, poverty, access to quality tertiary education, the consolidation of democracy and credible elections as key issues requiring sustained government attention.
He urged the President to support the return of mission schools where appropriate, ensure equal treatment for all religious groups, including the provision of worship centres without discrimination, and guarantee free, fair and credible elections in 2027.
“As a man who risked so much in the struggle for the return of democratic rule in the dark days of the military dictatorship, your greatest legacy would be the strengthening of our democratic institutions,” the Archbishop said.
The meeting was attended by 19 senior Catholic clerics, including Cardinals John Onaiyekan and Peter Okpaleke, Archbishop of Abuja Ignatius Kaigama, Archbishop of Lagos Alfred Martins, Archbishop of Ibadan Gabriel Abegunrin, Bishop of Sokoto Matthew Kukah and other members of the CBCN leadership.
