President Bola Tinubu on Saturday received former Defence Minister, Theophilus Danjuma, at the State House in Abuja.
The Presidency disclosed the meeting in a brief statement, offering no details about the discussions. However, successive administrations have often sought Danjuma’s counsel on issues of national importance, reflecting his decades of military and political influence.
Danjuma, 87, served as Minister of Defence during the first term of former President Olusegun Obasanjo from 1999 to 2003. Earlier, he was Chief of Army Staff between 1976 and 1979 under Obasanjo’s military government.
A native of Taraba State, the retired general has played a significant role in Nigeria’s political evolution, notably during the July 1966 counter-coup that ushered in the administration of Yakubu Gowon.
Beyond his military service, Danjuma is a prominent businessman with substantial investments in the oil and gas sector through South Atlantic Petroleum. He is also widely recognised for his philanthropic efforts via the TY Danjuma Foundation.
In recent years, the elder statesman has remained outspoken on national security. In 2018, he stirred widespread debate when he urged Nigerians to defend themselves against armed attacks, alleging that security agencies were failing to adequately protect vulnerable communities.
