President Bola Tinubu has urged state governors to prioritise the construction of road networks over flyovers in low-traffic areas, saying improved federal allocations should be invested in projects that enhance security and improve the quality of life.

Speaking while receiving the Olubadan of Ibadanland and other traditional rulers in Abuja, Tinubu also reaffirmed that the Federal Government would neither negotiate with terrorists nor pay ransom, revealing that the abductors of the Oriire schoolchildren demanded the release of detained gang members.

The President said the expansion of the Nigerian Army from eight to 12 divisions, the planned establishment of state police and the strengthening of forest guards are part of efforts to tackle rising insecurity, which he linked partly to instability in neighbouring Sahel countries.