President Muhammadu Buhari says government will work with traditional rulers to ensure the security of lives and property across the country.

The president's assurance was against the ongoing security challenges across the country particularly in the southwest zone.

Speaking when receiving the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, at the presidential villa Abuja, the president urged the Ooni to assure other traditional rulers of government's readiness to work with them to ensure insecurity in the country.

The Ooni who spoke to journalists after the closed-door meeting said his meeting with the president was to ensure that the series of security challenges in the south-west is not turned to politics.

He blamed the influx of suspected criminals into the country on the porous borders but assured that the traditional institutions will work with the federal government to sieve out criminals from genuine citizens.

Ogunwusi also commended the president for appointing new officers as service chiefs.