Tinubu Holds High-Stakes Closed-Door Meeting With Elder Statesman TY Danjuma Amid Global and Local Security Tensions

President Bola Tinubu turned to one of Nigeria’s most seasoned military “oracles” on Saturday, hosting former Minister of Defence, General Theophilus Yakubu (TY) Danjuma, at the Presidential Villa. The meeting, which took place late Saturday afternoon, has sparked intense speculation across the capital, coming at a moment when both Nigeria’s internal security and the global geopolitical landscape are facing severe tremors.

Though the Presidency released only a terse statement confirming the visit, the optics of the 88-year-old General walking the corridors of power suggest more than just a casual chat. General Danjuma, a billionaire businessman and a former Chief of Army Staff, is widely regarded as a “kingmaker” and a strategic heavyweight whose counsel has been sought by almost every Nigerian leader since the 1970s.

Insiders suggest that the “State of Harmony” in the North currently threatened by the emergence of the ISIS-linked Lakurawa group likely dominated the discussion. Danjuma, who has previously been a sharp critic of the government’s handling of insecurity, is believed to have shared “elder statesman” perspectives on the military’s current clearance operations in the Northwest and the Middle Belt.

The meeting also coincided with the chaotic fallout of the US-Israel strikes on Iran, which have disrupted global aviation and put Nigerian missions in the Gulf on high alert. Analysts believe Tinubu is leveraging Danjuma’s deep international and military networks to navigate the diplomatic ripples affecting the region.

As the retired General departed Aso Rock without addressing the press, the message was clear: in times of deep uncertainty, the Tinubu administration is looking to the “old guard” to help steady the ship. Whether this visit leads to a new strategy against banditry or a shift in regional diplomacy remains to be seen, but for now, the General’s presence has certainly reset the conversation in Abuja.