Nuhu Ribadu, National Security Adviser (NSA), has announced that the sit-at-home orders once rigidly enforced by separatist groups in the South-East are steadily losing their hold on residents, marking a significant turnaround in the region’s security landscape.
Ribadu made this known on Thursday during a presentation at the All Progressives Congress (APC) National Summit, where he outlined the major security achievements under President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
He highlighted that the government inherited five major security flashpoints when it assumed office: the Boko Haram insurgency in the North-East, armed banditry in the North-West, secessionist agitations by the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and its armed affiliate, the Eastern Security Network (ESN), in the South-East, oil-related unrest in the Niger Delta, and communal as well as herder-farmer conflicts in the North-Central zone.
“In the South-East, a welcome development is that the sit-at-home orders are becoming increasingly ineffective.
Read also: South East governors and sit-at-home conundrum
“Key IPOB/ESN figures have been captured or neutralised. Over 50 police stations and numerous police posts have been rebuilt. Attacks on security forces have significantly reduced, and social and economic activities are normalising”, Ribadu stated.
The sit-at-home directives, often enforced with violence and threats by IPOB factions, have for years crippled businesses, schools, and movement across the region, particularly on Mondays. Ribadu’s comments suggest a possible turning point, with the return of normalcy in several towns and cities.
Beyond the South-East, Ribadu shared figures pointing to national gains, stating that in the North-East, where Boko Haram once held sway, security operations have led to the neutralisation of 13,543 insurgents over the past two years.
Additionally, over 11,000 weapons have been recovered and destroyed, and 124,408 fighters and their family members have surrendered to authorities.
Turning to the North-West, Ribadu described the past year as a “watershed” in the fight against banditry. We have freed 11,250 hostages and seen a decline in mass abductions,” he said.
He credited the success to coordinated security efforts that have targeted and weakened major bandit leaders including Ali Kachalla, Boderi, Halilu Sububu, Dangote, Isuhu Yellow, and Damuna.
The NSA reiterated that the administration remains focused on consolidating these gains, addressing root causes of insecurity, and restoring peace and stability across Nigeria.
The summit, attended by party leaders and government officials, was convened to assess the APC’s performance in governance one year into President Tinubu’s term.
