President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has declared a nationwide security emergency, directing the Armed Forces, the Police and the Department of State Services to embark on immediate large-scale recruitment as part of a new push to confront rising insecurity across the country.
The directive was contained in an official State House statement issued on Wednesday, where the President said the country had reached a critical moment that required bold and urgent action.
According to the President, “I have decided to declare a nationwide security emergency and order additional recruitment into the Armed Forces.” He explained that the Nigeria Police Force had been authorised to enlist 20,000 additional officers, raising its current recruitment projection to 50,000 personnel.
He announced that although approval had earlier been given for the upgrade of police training facilities across the country, the police hierarchy had now been empowered to use National Youth Service Corps camps as training depots. He added that officers currently being withdrawn from VIP protection duty would undergo crash retraining to prepare them for deployment to the country’s most vulnerable locations.
President Tinubu also disclosed that the Department of State Services had been instructed to deploy its trained forest guards immediately and recruit additional personnel to reinforce security operations in forested regions known to harbour violent groups. “There will be no more hiding places for agents of evil,” he said.
He described the current situation as a national emergency that demanded unity and direct participation from all citizens. “The times require all hands on deck. As Nigerians, we should all get involved in securing our nation,” the statement read.
The President praised the joint security operation that led to the release of 24 schoolgirls in Kebbi State and 38 worshippers abducted in Kwara State, while assuring families that efforts were ongoing to rescue the remaining students of Catholic School in Niger State and other citizens held by kidnappers.
He urged security personnel to remain steadfast. “This is a challenging moment for our nation and for the military institution itself. I charge you to remain resolute, to restore peace across all theatres of operation, and to uphold the highest standards of discipline and integrity.”
Tinubu extended condolences to families affected by recent attacks in Kebbi, Borno, Zamfara, Niger, Yobe and Kwara, and paid tribute to security operatives who lost their lives, including Brigadier-General Musa Uba.
He also reaffirmed government support for state-run security outfits and called on the National Assembly to begin reviewing the legal framework needed for states that want to establish state police. He urged states to reassess the location of boarding schools in remote areas and encouraged religious institutions in high-risk zones to seek security protection during worship.
On the persistent farmer-herder conflict, the President reminded pastoral groups of the newly created Livestock Ministry and urged them to embrace ranching. “Ranching is now the path forward for sustainable livestock farming and national harmony,” he said, while urging herders to surrender illegal arms and end open grazing.
Calling for collective resolve, the President insisted that the government would not back down. “Those who want to test our resolve should never mistake our restraint for weakness,” he warned.
He appealed to citizens to stay vigilant, support security agencies and refuse to succumb to fear. “We are in this fight together, and together we shall win.”
The President ended his address with a prayer for the safety of the country’s armed forces and blessings for Nigeria.
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