Nigerian President Bola Tinubu declares national security emergency amid rising kidnappings
President Bola Tinubu directed the army and police to bring in an additional 20,000 officers, adding to the 30,000 he ordered on Sunday when he redeployed VIP-attached officers to frontline security duties.
Nigerian President Bola Tinubu has announced a national security emergency in response to escalating kidnappings and killings across the country, ordering the recruitment of more officers to help contain the violence.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, Tinubu directed the army and police to bring in an additional 20,000 officers, adding to the 30,000 he ordered on Sunday when he redeployed VIP-attached officers to frontline security duties.
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"By this declaration, the police and the army are authorised to recruit more personnel. The police will recruit an additional 20,000 officers, bringing the total to 50,000," Tinubu said.
"Although I had previously approved the nationwide upgrade of police training facilities, the police authorities are, by this statement, authorised to use various National Youth Service Corps camps as training depots."
Tinubu also directed that officers withdrawn from VIP guard duties undergo crash training to debrief them and ensure more effective policing when deployed to areas facing security challenges.
Further, he ordered the Department of State Services (DSS) to deploy every trained forest guard without delay to root out terrorists and bandits lurking in forests.
"The agency also has my directive to recruit more men to man the forests. There will be no more hiding places for agents of evil. My fellow Nigerians, this is a national emergency, and we are responding by deploying more boots on the ground, especially in security-challenged areas," said Tinubu.
"The times require all hands on deck. As Nigerians, we should all get involved in securing our nation."
He also assured that his administration will back state governments that have created security units to protect their citizens from terrorists threatening national peace
Similarly, Tinubu urged Nigeria's parliament to begin reviewing laws to allow states that require state police to establish them.
"States should rethink establishing boarding schools in remote areas without adequate security. Mosques and churches should constantly seek police and other security protection when they gather for prayers, especially in vulnerable areas," he said.
Kidnappings in Nigeria have been on the rise in recent years, with schoolchildren and teachers increasingly being targeted in remote areas with weak security. The most high-profile recent case occurred on November 21 in Niger State, where gunmen abducted over 300 students and 12 teachers from St. Mary's Catholic School, with only a few managing to escape.
"I sympathise with the families who have lost their loved ones in recent attacks on soft targets in Niger, Kebbi, Borno, Zamfara, Yobe, and Kwara States," Tinubu said.
"I urge you not to give in to fear and never succumb to despair. I urge all Nigerians to remain calm and vigilant. Report suspicious activities. Cooperate with security agencies. We are in this fight together, and together we shall win."
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