President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has directed the Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, to immediately relocate to Kebbi State as part of fresh measures to tackle the escalating insecurity in the North-West.
The directive followed a string of recent attacks in the state, including school kidnappings and repeated bandit raids that have left communities in fear.
Sources within the Presidency say the move is aimed at ensuring on-ground coordination between the military, security agencies, and local authorities, rather than relying solely on briefings from Abuja.
A senior official familiar with the directive explained that the President wants “faster response, better intelligence flow, and real-time supervision of military operations.”
Matawalle is expected to oversee strategic deployments, evaluate troops’ needs, and work with community leaders to strengthen cooperation in affected areas.
Security analysts interpret Tinubu’s instruction as a sign of growing urgency within the government, as banditry in the North-West continues to claim lives and disrupt education, farming, and commerce.
The Defence Ministry is yet to issue a formal statement, but officials say operational adjustments are already underway.
