President Bola Tinubu on Wednesday declared a nationwide security emergency in response to the emerging security situation and ordered a major increase in personnel for the Armed Forces and security agencies.
The declaration authorises the Nigerian Army and the Police to recruit additional personnel. The police are specifically mandated to recruit an additional 20,000 officers, bringing the total newly authorised recruitment to 50,000 officers.
To facilitate the immediate training of new officers, Tinubu authorised police authorities to utilise various National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) camps as training depots, complementing the previously approved upgrade of police training facilities.
Other directives issued by the President include: police officers currently withdrawn from VIP guard duties are ordered to undergo crash training before being redeployed to security-challenged areas of the country for more efficient service delivery.
The Department of State Services (DSS) is authorised to immediately deploy all already trained forest guards to flush out terrorists and bandits. The agency is also directed to recruit more men to permanently man the forests.
Tinubu commended the efforts of security agencies for the recent release of the 24 schoolgirls in Kebbi and 38 worshippers in Kwara State, and pledged sustained efforts to rescue the remaining hostages, including students from the Catholic School in Niger State.
The President also used the statement to call on other arms of government and stakeholders to support the security drive.
He urged the National Assembly to begin reviewing laws to allow states that require state police to establish them and advised states to rethink establishing boarding schools in remote areas without adequate security.
He also recommended that mosques and churches constantly seek security protection when gathering in vulnerable areas.
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The President called on all herder associations to take advantage of the newly created Livestock Ministry, end open grazing, and surrender illegal weapons, stressing that ranching is the path forward for sustainable livestock farming and national harmony.
Tinubu commended the courage and sacrifice of the Armed Forces and charged them to “remain resolute, to restore peace across all theatres of operation, and to uphold the highest standards of discipline and integrity.”
He warned the military against any form of “compromise, no collusion, and no negligence,” assuring them that the administration would provide the necessary support to succeed.
The President urged Nigerians to remain calm and vigilant, report suspicious activities, and cooperate with security agencies, stating: “We are in this fight together, and together we shall win.”
