Our Reporter, Abuja
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Wednesday declared a nationwide security emergency and directed the Armed Forces and the police to embark on immediate large-scale recruitment to tackle worsening insecurity across the country.
In a statement from the State House, Tinubu authorised the Nigeria Police Force to recruit an additional 20,000 officers—bringing ongoing recruitment to 50,000—while the Nigerian Army is also to expand its personnel strength. He further approved the use of National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) camps as temporary police training depots.
“This is a national emergency, and we are responding by deploying more boots on the ground,” the President said.
“The times require all hands on deck. As Nigerians, we should all get involved in securing our nation.”
Tinubu also ordered the withdrawal of police officers from VIP guard duties for redeployment to security-challenged areas after crash retraining. He directed the DSS to immediately deploy trained forest guards and recruit more personnel to flush out bandits and terrorists “lurking in our forests.”
The President commended security agencies for the rescue of 24 schoolgirls in Kebbi and 38 worshippers in Kwara, assuring that efforts would continue to free abducted students in Niger State and other victims still in captivity.
To strengthen subnational security, Tinubu called on the National Assembly to begin reviewing laws to allow states that require state police to establish them. He urged state governments to avoid siting boarding schools in remote, unsecured areas, and advised mosques and churches in vulnerable communities to seek regular security protection.
On farmer-herder conflicts, Tinubu appealed to herders to embrace ranching and utilise the newly created Ministry of Livestock Development. “End open grazing and surrender illegal weapons,” he said.
The President expressed condolences to families of victims killed in recent attacks across Kebbi, Borno, Zamfara, Niger, Yobe and Kwara states and paid tribute to fallen soldiers, including Brigadier-General Musa Uba.
“Those who want to test our resolve should never mistake our restraint for weakness,” he warned.
Tinubu urged Nigerians to remain calm, vigilant and supportive of security agencies, saying: “We are in this fight together, and together we shall win.”
