The 31 All Progressives Congress (APC) Governors are set to gather in Lagos today for a high-level meeting expected to shape key political and policy directions within the ruling party.

Hosted by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, the session is being held at the Eko Hotel and Suites in Victoria Island.

The meeting brings together members of the Progressives Governors Forum (PGF), at a time when internal coordination and national strategy remain top priorities for the party.

The session will be hosted by Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu. It is scheduled to take place at Eko Hotel and Suites in Victoria Island later today.

The choice of Lagos is significant, as it coincides with the stay of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the state for the Eid-el-Fitr holiday before his return to Abuja.

The meeting is expected to draw participation from all APC governors across the country. As it stands, the party controls 31 out of Nigeria’s 36 states.

This strong presence has continued to grow in recent months, largely driven by defections from opposition parties and shifting political alliances at the state level. The development has further strengthened the APC’s hold across the federation.

Sources within the party indicate that discussions at the meeting will centre on aligning policies at the state level with the programmes of the federal government. Governors are also expected to review ongoing reforms and explore ways to improve governance delivery in their respective states.

Party insiders say the forum may also examine the country’s economic direction, especially in light of recent fiscal and monetary adjustments. There are expectations that governors will exchange ideas on how to manage the impact of these policies on citizens, while maintaining support for federal initiatives.

Security is also likely to feature prominently on the agenda. With varying challenges across regions, governors are expected to share updates from their states and consider coordinated approaches to addressing threats. The role of sub-national governments in supporting national security efforts may be revisited during the deliberations.

The PGF, which is chaired by Imo State Governor, Senator Hope Uzodimma, has in recent times positioned itself as a key policy support bloc for the federal government.

The forum has consistently emphasized unity within the party and collaboration among states as essential to national development.

Today’s gathering comes months after the forum last met in Lagos in December 2025 at the same venue.

Governor Bala Mohammed has declared that forests across Bauchi State are now free of bandits following sustained security operations, especially in the Alkaleri axis which had witnessed repeated attacks in recent weeks.

This announcement follows intensive military operations aimed at dislodging criminal elements that had previously occupied “ungoverned spaces” within the state.

The governor spoke on Saturday at the Eid-el-Fitr Durbar held at Rilwanu Suleimanu Adamu Square in Bauchi, where he said joint efforts by the Nigerian military and other security agencies forced criminal groups out of their hideouts and pushed them beyond the state’s borders.

The statement comes after recent attacks on communities including Mansur and Gwana in Alkaleri Local Government Area that had raised fresh security concerns among residents.

“Today, I can confidently say that there are no bandits harbouring in any forest in Bauchi State. Our forests have been cleared through decisive military action and improved intelligence gathering,” the governor said.

Mohammed praised the Armed Forces and other security agencies for their role in stabilising the affected areas, noting that their operations had helped restore calm in Alkaleri and neighbouring communities.

He urged residents to remain alert and support security agencies with useful information, stressing that public cooperation is necessary to sustain the progress already made.

The governor also used the occasion to seek forgiveness from the people of the state as his administration moves toward the end of its second term next year.

“As my tenure gradually comes to an end, I find it necessary to seek your forgiveness for any wrongs, knowing fully that no human is perfect,” he said.

He assured citizens that his government would continue to execute ongoing projects in key sectors such as healthcare, education and road construction until the end of the administration.

The governor added that his administration would sustain close collaboration with traditional institutions, saying the partnership remains essential for peace, security and social harmony in the state.

The United States has recently significantly increased its military support for Nigeria’s counterterrorism operations by deploying MQ-9 Reaper drones and approximately 200 troops.

This deployment, which began in early 2026, aims to assist Nigerian forces in tracking and eliminating extremist groups like Boko Haram and ISWAP, primarily in the country’s northern regions.

US and Nigerian officials disclosed that the operation is focused strictly on intelligence gathering and training support, with no American personnel embedded in frontline combat units and no drone strikes being carried out.

“The US military has multiple MQ-9 drones operating in Nigeria alongside 200 troops to provide training and intelligence support to the military,” officials from both countries told Reuters.

According to Reuters on Saturday, the deployment followed a request by Nigerian authorities to enhance efforts to identify, track and respond to terrorist threats.

A US defence official described the move as part of a broader partnership, noting that “we see this as a shared security threat,” while emphasising that the mission is limited to surveillance and advisory roles.

Confirming the development, Nigeria’s Director of Defence Information, Major General Samaila Uba, said the US forces are operating from an airfield in Bauchi.

“This support builds on the newly established US-Nigeria intelligence fusion cell, which continues to deliver actionable intelligence to our field commanders. Our US partners remain in a strictly non-combat role, enabling operations led by Nigerian authorities,” he said.

The MQ-9 drones, also known as Reaper drones, are capable of flying for over 27 hours at high altitude and can conduct both surveillance and strike missions.

However, officials stressed that those currently deployed in Nigeria are being used solely for intelligence purposes.

“Our US forces are helping Nigeria identify, track and respond to terrorist threats,” Uba added, without providing further operational details.

The deployment comes amid rising violence in Nigeria’s northeast and northwest, with renewed attacks by extremist groups such as Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province.

A recent suicide bombing on March 16 targeted a garrison town in the northeast, highlighting the persistent security challenges in the region.

“We continue to assess that these organisations will seek opportunistic targets and may attempt to demonstrate relevance through high-visibility attacks,” Uba said.

Nigerian military authorities noted that the duration of the US deployment would be determined jointly by both countries, as part of ongoing efforts to strengthen intelligence-sharing and counterterrorism capacity.

The latest move follows earlier US military actions, including airstrikes reportedly ordered under former President Donald Trump targeting ISIS-linked elements in northwest Nigeria.

The Federal Government said the strikes were part of coordinated international efforts to combat terrorism.

In February, reports indicated that the US had already deployed about 200 troops to Nigeria to enhance military training and operational support, particularly in tackling Islamist insurgents.

Officials said the initiative is expected to further boost Nigeria’s counterterrorism capabilities through sustained intelligence and capacity-building programmes.