…Orders massive security recruitment, total overhaul
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu yesterday declared a national security emergency, unveiling a sweeping package of measures aimed at confronting the surge in violent attacks, kidnappings and rural banditry gripping several parts of the country.
In a decisive national address yesterday, the President announced massive new recruitments across the Armed Forces, Police and intelligence services, alongside urgent reforms designed to rapidly strengthen Nigeria’s security architecture.
Tinubu authorised immediate additional recruitment into the Armed Forces and the Nigerian Police Force (NPF), with the NPF alone cleared to enlist 30,000 more officers, raising the ongoing recruitment target to 50,000 personnel.
To accelerate training capacity, the President approved the temporary conversion of National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) orientation camps into supplementary police training depots.
He also ordered the withdrawal and crash retraining of police officers currently assigned to VIP protection duties, directing that they be redeployed to high-threat areas across the country.
Also, the Department of State Services (DSS) has been instructed to immediately deploy all trained forest guards and embark on fresh recruitment to flush out terrorists, bandits and armed militias sheltering in Nigeria’s forests.
Tinubu praised the recent rescue of 24 abducted schoolgirls in Kebbi state and 38 kidnapped worshippers in Kwara state, describing the operations as evidence of improved inter-agency collaboration. He vowed that ongoing efforts to free all remaining hostages would not relent.
Reiterating his support for grassroots security initiatives, the President announced full federal backing for state-level security outfits. He also urged the National Assembly to expedite amendments to existing laws to permit willing states to establish their own police services.
Tinubu called on state governments to reassess the location of boarding schools in remote or high-risk areas and advised religious institutions to adopt continuous security measures to protect congregations.
Restating his commitment to resolving decades-long farmer-herder clashes, the President said the government’s new Ministry of Livestock would drive a comprehensive transition to modern ranching systems. He encouraged herders to abandon open grazing and surrender illegal weapons.
Warning that criminal groups must not misread government restraint, Tinubu declared that security agencies have been given full authority to take decisive action. He called for national unity, vigilance and public cooperation with law enforcement.
“We are in this fight together, and together we shall win”, the President said.
