President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Wednesday declared a nationwide security emergency and directed a large-scale recruitment drive to tackle escalating insecurity across the country.
In a statement from the State House, Tinubu approved the recruitment of an additional 20,000 police officers, bringing the total ongoing recruitment to 50,000. He also ordered that National Youth Service Corps camps be used as temporary training depots to fast-track preparations. Officers withdrawn from VIP security duties will undergo expedited retraining before redeployment to frontline areas.
The President instructed the Department of State Services to deploy all trained forest guards to flush out terrorists and bandits nationwide and approved further recruitment to reinforce operations. “There will be no more hiding places for agents of evil,” he said.
Tinubu commended security agencies for recent successes, including the rescue of 24 schoolgirls in Kebbi State and 38 worshippers in Kwara State. He assured Nigerians that efforts would continue until remaining captives, including students abducted in Niger State, are freed.
The President urged the armed forces to remain disciplined, pledged full federal support to state security outfits, and called on the National Assembly to review laws to allow states establish state police where needed. He also advised religious institutions and schools in vulnerable areas to collaborate with security agencies.
On the herder–farmer clashes, Tinubu encouraged herder associations to embrace ranching, cease open grazing, and surrender illegal weapons, while expressing condolences to families affected by attacks in Kebbi, Borno, Zamfara, Niger, Yobe, and Kwara States.
He reassured citizens, saying, “Those who want to test our resolve should never mistake our restraint for weakness,” and called for calm, vigilance, and cooperation with security agencies.
