Ex-Defence Chief meets President amid security crisis

The ‎immediate past Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Christopher Musa (retd.), held a closed-door meeting with President Bola Tinubu at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Monday, December 1, amidst escalating national security concerns.
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The purpose of the meeting, which marked Musa’s first public visit to the State House since his retirement in October 2025, was not disclosed by the Presidency. It occurred as Nigeria increased forces in its response to a wave of abductions and attacks across the North-West and North-Central regions following the President’s recent declaration of a nationwide security emergency.
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The unscheduled meeting between President Tinubu and the former Defence Chief took place the same day the former CDS, General Lucky Irabor (retd.), publicly denied claims that repentant Boko Haram members were being inducted into the Nigerian Armed Forces.
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The meeting comes less than a week after President Tinubu declared a national security emergency, ordering the recruitment of 20,000 additional police officers, deploying forest guards, and also launching joint operations in hotspots.
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Appearing on national television, General Irabor, who previously served in key command roles against Boko Haram, refuted allegations of recruitment, stating the military’s structure and vetting procedures make the claim impossible.
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Irabor clarified that the Federal Government’s deradicalisation program, Operation Safe Corridor, manages low-risk ex-combatants but does not facilitate their entry into military service.
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