Abuja — In a bold move to tackle rising insecurity across the country, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu yesterday declared a nationwide security emergency, authorizing significant expansions in the Armed Forces and the Nigerian Police Force.
In a statement from the Statehouse, the President directed the police to recruit an additional 20,000 officers, bringing the total number of new recruits to 50,000. He also instructed that National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) camps be used as temporary police training depots to accelerate deployment to critical security areas.
President Tinubu ordered the withdrawal of officers from VIP protection duties for crash training, emphasizing the need for more efficient service in high-risk regions. The Department of State Services (DSS) was similarly authorized to deploy trained forest guards to combat terrorists and bandits hiding in remote areas, with directives to recruit additional personnel for forest security.
“This is a national emergency, and we are responding by putting more boots on the ground,” the President said, urging Nigerians to actively participate in securing the nation.
He commended security agencies for their recent successes, including the release of 24 schoolgirls in Kebbi and 38 worshippers in Kwara State, and reaffirmed the government’s commitment to rescuing other kidnapped citizens, including students of a Catholic school in Niger State.
Addressing the military and security personnel, President Tinubu emphasized discipline, integrity, and resoluteness, warning that there would be no tolerance for negligence or collusion. He assured full support from the Federal Government to help security agencies succeed in their missions.
The President also urged state governments to review their security arrangements, consider the establishment of state police where necessary, and ensure that schools, religious centers, and other vulnerable sites are adequately protected.
On addressing herder-farmer clashes, President Tinubu called on herder associations to end open grazing, surrender illegal weapons, and embrace ranching as a sustainable solution, promising federal and state collaboration to enforce this policy.
“The administration has the courage and determination to keep the country safe,” he said, sympathizing with families affected by recent attacks in Kebbi, Borno, Zamfara, Niger, Yobe, and Kwara States, and paying tribute to fallen soldiers, including Brigadier-General Musa Uba.
He concluded with a call for national unity, vigilance, and cooperation with security agencies, assuring Nigerians that “together, we shall win.”
