President Bola Tinubu on Wednesday declared a nationwide security emergency and directed an expansion of personnel across the Armed Forces, Police and the Department of State Services (DSS) in response to rising attacks across the country.
In an address from the State House, President Tinubu said the Nigeria Police Force would recruit 20,000 additional officers, bringing total recent approvals to 50,000.
He also authorised the Nigerian Army to conduct fresh recruitment to strengthen operations in security-challenged areas.
The President said the police would use National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) camps as temporary training depots to speed up the onboarding of new personnel.
He added that officers withdrawn from VIP protection duties would undergo retraining before deployment to frontline locations.
Tinubu also directed the DSS to deploy trained forest guards and begin new recruitment to reinforce operations in forests where bandits and insurgents operate.
“This is a national emergency, and we are responding by deploying more boots on the ground, especially in security-challenged areas,” he said.
“There will be no more hiding places for agents of evil.”
The President commended security agencies for the rescue of 24 schoolgirls in Kebbi State and 38 worshippers abducted in Kwara State.
He said efforts were ongoing to free students kidnapped from a Catholic school in Niger State and other abducted persons.
He also commended the Armed Forces for their service, urging personnel to remain focused and uphold discipline.
He paid tribute to military personnel who died in recent attacks, including Brigadier-General Musa Uba and sympathised with families affected by killings in Kebbi, Borno, Zamfara, Niger, Yobe and Kwara States.
Tinubu asked the National Assembly to begin reviewing laws to give states that require it the authority to establish state police.
He said the Federal Government would support states that have formed security outfits.
He urged states to reconsider operating boarding schools in remote areas without adequate security and called on religious centres to seek police protection during gatherings in vulnerable locations.
On herder–farmer conflicts, the President said the Ministry of Livestock Development was established to address long-standing clashes.
He encouraged herder groups to adopt ranching, end open grazing and surrender illegal weapons.
“Those who want to test our resolve should never mistake our restraint for weakness,” he said.
“This administration has the courage and determination to keep the country safe.”
Tinubu called on citizens to remain calm, report suspicious activities and cooperate with security agencies.
He said unity and public vigilance were necessary in addressing the country’s security challenges.
