- Safiu Kehinde
President Bola Tinubu has on Sunday warned that global tensions, particularly in the Middle East, could heighten inflationary pressures and negatively impact the purchasing power of Nigerians.
Tinubu gave the warning during his address to Vice-President Kashim Shettima and state governors who paid him a traditional Eid-el-Fitr homage at his residence in Lagos.
The President noted that the Middle East crisis, which birthed out of Iran’s escalation of the United States and Israel’s missile attacks on its territory, will lead to increase in transportation and general cost of living conditions.
“The Middle East crisis will affect inflation and purchasing power, with implications for transportation costs and general living conditions.” He said.
Tinubu however assured that the Federal Government would continue engaging labour unions and other stakeholders to mitigate the economic impact on citizens and maintain social stability.
Meanwhile, the President in his address expressed gratitude to God for the unity demonstrated during Ramadan, noting that Muslims commenced and concluded the fasting period together in a spirit of shared faith and national cohesion.
“We thank God that we all started together and ended it together. May Almighty Allah continue to guide us and put our nation on the right path.” He said.
The President commended the governors for their continued support, stressing that the next phase of governance should focus squarely on addressing insecurity and restoring peace across the country.
He tasked state governors to intensify collaboration in tackling insecurity, pledging increased foreign support to strengthen Nigeria’s security architecture.
“The next phase of our struggle is the challenge of insecurity, and I am making all efforts to ensure we collectively achieve victory over forces threatening our stability.” Tinubu said.
The President described insecurity as a major obstacle to development, progress, and prosperity, urging all levels of government to remain resolute in confronting the challenge.
“Insecurity is an enemy of development, progress and prosperity. I am glad that we are all mindful of the challenge before us.” He maintained
Tinubu pledged to strengthen Nigeria’s international partnerships to secure modern equipment, intelligence support, and training required to combat terrorism and other security threats effectively.
The President disclosed that he also held extensive discussions on Saturday with France President, Emmanuel Macron on security cooperation and potential support for Nigeria’s counter-terrorism efforts.
“One of the major discussions in the United Kingdom was equipment and support. We are working to deepen collaboration in these critical areas.
“I had a lengthy discussion with President Macron, and they are willing to collaborate with us on equipment and support.” He said.
The president said Nigeria would leverage its goodwill and existing diplomatic relationships to access resources, including credit facilities, to strengthen its security capabilities.
He also urged state governments to intensify efforts in caring for vulnerable populations, noting that while progress had been made, more could be done to improve social welfare systems.
“We must reach out to partners willing to support us with equipment and training so that we can effectively confront and defeat terrorism.
“I will not single out any state, but you are doing well and can do better in caring for the vulnerable in our society.” The president stated.
He also commended the vice president for his swift response to recent security incidents in Borno, describing his actions as timely and commendable.
“My condolences to Kashim Shettima. I appreciate your immediate return to Borno to convey sympathy and solidarity with the affected communities.” He said.
Tinubu reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to investing in technology, intelligence, and security infrastructure to decisively address insurgency and related threats nationwide.
“We are determined to defeat terrorism and all its manifestations. We must come together to secure our nation and guarantee a peaceful future,” he added.
According to reports, that the governors, who accompanied Vice President Kashim Shettima, were led on the visit by the Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq of Kwara State who is also the Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum.