President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has issued a fresh security directive, ordering the immediate preparation of a comprehensive National Threat Assessment and a five-year Strategic Defence Operations Plan to strengthen coordination among Nigeria’s defence, intelligence and security agencies.
The President gave the directive on Wednesday, August 19, 2026, during the Federal Executive Council meeting at the State House, Abuja, and set a 90-day deadline for the submission of the documents for his consideration and approval.
Under the directive, the President’s Special Adviser on Homeland Security, Major General Adeyinka A. Famadewa, will coordinate and provide secretariat support to a nine-man committee constituted to develop the strategic defence plan.
Members of the committee include the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu; Minister of Defence, General Christopher Musa; Minister of State for Defence, Bello Muhammad Matawalle; Chief of Defence Staff, General Olufemi Oluyede; Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu; Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke; and Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Idi Abbas.
Also on the committee are the Director-General of the Department of State Services, Tosin Ajayi, and the Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency, Ambassador Muhammed Muhammed.
Tinubu said the new framework was necessary to establish a common understanding of the security threats confronting the country and ensure that defence and security resources were deployed according to clearly defined national priorities.
According to him, recent successful security operations had demonstrated the benefits of stronger coordination among the country’s defence, intelligence and security institutions.
“The operation demonstrated what can be achieved when our agencies work together with a clear objective and the necessary intelligence,” the President said, referring to the recent rescue of pupils and teachers abducted in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State.
The President observed that security requirements were often handled individually without sufficient reference to a unified national threat assessment or medium-term operational strategy, a situation he said could hamper coordination and efficient resource deployment.
He directed that the National Threat Assessment should identify the major threats facing Nigeria, determine their urgency and establish operational objectives for tackling them.
The accompanying Strategic Defence Operations Plan, he said, would translate those findings into concrete priorities by identifying the forces and capabilities required across different theatres, existing gaps, equipment and support requirements, as well as a clear implementation timetable.
Tinubu further authorised the committee to consult or co-opt representatives of other ministries, departments and agencies where necessary.
He ordered the committee to commence work immediately and submit the completed assessment and five-year defence plan within 90 days.
Once approved, the plan will become the principal framework for coordinating Nigeria’s military and defence operations over the medium term.
It will also form the basis for a corresponding multi-year defence expenditure and procurement plan, with government resources directed towards agreed operational priorities and critical national security requirements.
The President consequently directed the Secretary to the Government of the Federation and the Office of the National Security Adviser to take immediate steps to implement the directive.
