By Harriet Tornguvan
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has declared a nationwide security emergency in response to the escalating wave of violent attacks across the country, directing the Armed Forces and the Nigeria Police Force to embark on immediate large-scale recruitment.
Under the directive, the Nigeria Police Force has been authorised to recruit an additional 20,000 personnel, raising the total number of new intakes to 50,000. To fast-track the process, the President approved the temporary use of National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) camps as training facilities, supplementing the ongoing upgrade of police training schools nationwide. Officers currently deployed as VIP escorts are also to undergo crash retraining before being redeployed to high-risk areas.
President Tinubu further empowered the Department of State Services (DSS) to immediately deploy all trained forest guards to flush out terrorists and bandits hiding in Nigeria’s forests. The DSS has also been directed to recruit additional personnel to strengthen its operations nationwide.
Describing the situation as a “national emergency,” the President said the government’s response will include increased boots on the ground, intensified operations in volatile zones, and broader collaboration with state governments already running local security outfits.
The President acknowledged the efforts of security agencies in securing the recent release of 24 abducted schoolgirls in Kebbi State and 38 kidnapped worshippers in Kwara State, assuring that ongoing operations to rescue remaining abductees including students of the Catholic School in Niger State would be sustained.
Tinubu commended the Armed Forces for their resilience but urged them to remain steadfast, disciplined, and uncompromising in restoring security across all theatres of operation.
He called on the National Assembly to begin reviewing legal frameworks to enable states that require state police to establish them, while advising state governments to avoid building boarding schools in isolated areas without adequate security. Religious institutions, he added, should seek police presence during gatherings, particularly in vulnerable communities.
On the recurring farmer-herder conflict, the President reaffirmed that the newly established Federal Ministry of Livestock Development would provide sustainable solutions. He appealed to herder associations to embrace ranching, end open grazing, and surrender illegal arms, stressing that the government is committed to resolving the crisis permanently.
President Tinubu expressed deep condolences to families affected by recent attacks in Kebbi, Borno, Zamfara, Niger, Yobe, and Kwara States, and paid tribute to fallen soldiers, including Brigadier-General Musa Uba.
He warned criminal elements that the government’s restraint should not be mistaken for weakness, declaring that the administration possesses the resolve and capacity to defend the nation.
Urging Nigerians to remain calm, vigilant, and cooperative with security agencies, President Tinubu called for unity and collective action in confronting insecurity.
“We are in this fight together, and together we shall win,” he said, praying for the safety of the armed forces and God’s continued protection over Nigeria.
