President Bola Tinubu on Thursday held a meeting with the Olubadan of Ibadan, Oba Rasheed Ladoja at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.

The meeting, which was attended by members of the Olubadan-in-Council, focused on governance, infrastructure development, and security concerns across the country.

During the engagement, President Tinubu tasked the traditional ruler with using his influence and experience to advise state governors against embarking on projects with little economic value, particularly the construction of flyovers in areas without significant traffic congestion.

The President stressed the need for governors to prioritise initiatives that directly improve the quality of life of citizens. He urged them to channel resources into impactful sectors and strengthen support for security agencies to enhance safety nationwide.

“You have governed before; you need to help us communicate with these other governors. They need to do more. Instead of building flyovers where there is no traffic demand, let us focus on projects that truly improve lives and support security agencies to penetrate troubled areas,” Tinubu said.

On security, the President also spoke on the recent rescue operation involving kidnapped pupils and teachers in Oyo State. He revealed that the government declined to pay ransom, citing intelligence and knowledge of the terrain where the victims were held.

According to him, security agencies successfully mapped out the forest location of the abductors, enabling a coordinated rescue operation.

Tinubu further disclosed that the Federal Government is expanding military capacity by increasing the number of divisions from eight to twelve to improve response time in tackling banditry and terrorism.

“We refused to pay ransom because we understand the geography of the forest. In response, we are increasing our military divisions from eight to twelve to shorten response time and effectively combat terrorism and banditry,” he added.

The meeting underscores ongoing efforts by the Federal Government to enhance collaboration with traditional institutions while promoting sustainable development and strengthening national security.