President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has assured citizens that the country’s ongoing security restructuring and economic reforms are steering Nigeria away from collapse and toward long-term stability.
Speaking during a high-profile meeting with
the leadership of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) at the State House in Abuja, the President emphasized that the administration’s strategic interventions are yielding tangible results across critical sectors.
Overhauling Security Architecture
Addressing deep-seated concerns regarding insecurity, President Tinubu stated that the federal government is actively repositioning the nation’s security institutions to decisively defeat terrorism, banditry, and kidnapping.
“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,” President Tinubu told the delegation. “We don’t have another country but here – this Nigeria.”
The President highlighted that ongoing military restructuring focuses on enhanced intelligence gathering, improved logistical support, and prioritizing frontline personnel welfare. He urged religious leaders to leverage their pulpits to reject violence, guide their congregations, and reinforce national unity.
Economic Stabilization and Poverty Alleviation
Reiterating his administration’s commitment to social safety nets, President Tinubu asserted that key initiatives like the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) are designed to alleviate poverty and broaden access to tertiary education.
According to the President, fiscal discipline and structural reforms have successfully averted a major financial crisis.
“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 dark tunnel of uncertainty that we had when I came in has been changed,” Tinubu declared. “This government has stabilised, and there is prosperity on the horizon. Life is improving.”
He also pointed to the ongoing industrial peace within higher institutions, noting that uninterrupted academic calendars are proof of progress.
“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. For me, that’s answered prayer,” he added.
Elections, Education, and Mission Schools
On political governance and electoral integrity, President Tinubu dismissed claims of state interference in electoral processes, describing the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as an independent umpire.
“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,” the President noted.
Responding to requests regarding the return of mission schools to religious bodies, President Tinubu clarified that state governors hold the constitutional mandate to make such decisions, drawing on his own precedent as a former governor.
“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 stated.
Catholic Bishops Raise Key National Concerns
Led by the CBCN President and Archbishop of Kaduna, Most Rev. Matthew Ndagoso, the 20-member delegation commended the President for his diplomatic engagement with the Vatican, particularly referencing the recent reception of Archbishop Paul Gallagher, the Holy See’s Secretary for Relations with States.
However, Archbishop Ndagoso outlined several urgent areas requiring sustained government intervention, including national security, access to quality tertiary education, poverty reduction, and fair treatment for all religious worshippers.
“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,” Archbishop Ndagoso told the President, calling for free and fair general elections in 2027.
The high-level Catholic delegation included John Cardinal Onaiyekan (Archbishop Emeritus of Abuja), Peter Cardinal Okpaleke (Bishop of Ekwulobia), Most Rev. Alfred Martins (Archbishop of Lagos), Most Rev. Ignatius Kaigama (Archbishop of Abuja), Most Rev. Matthew Kukah (Bishop of Sokoto), alongside several other archbishops, bishops, and senior clergy members.
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