Tinubu Orders Massive Recruitment Into Armed Forces,Declares Nationwide Security Emergency

President Bola Tinubu has declared a nationwide security emergency in response to escalating attacks across several states, directing the military, police, and intelligence services to immediately scale up manpower and operations.

In a statement personally signed and released yesterday, the President authorised the police and army to embark on fresh recruitment drives, with the Nigeria Police Force cleared to enlist an additional 20,000 personnel—raising its current recruitment figure to 50,000.

He further empowered the Department of State Services (DSS) to deploy all trained forest guards to comb forests for terrorists and bandits, and to recruit more operatives to consolidate the operation.

Tinubu said the extraordinary measures were necessary as the country confronts a worsening security landscape, stressing that “there will be no more hiding places for agents of evil.”

Under the new directive, the police are to utilise NYSC camps as temporary training depots, while officers withdrawn from VIP escort duties will undergo rapid retraining before being reassigned to high-risk zones.

The President also charged all security agencies to intensify inter-agency collaboration, commending their joint efforts in securing the release of abducted schoolgirls in Kebbi State and worshippers kidnapped in Kwara State. He assured that operations to rescue remaining hostages including students abducted in Niger State would continue unabated.

Tinubu reiterated his administration’s support for states that have established local security outfits, calling on the National Assembly to commence legislative reviews necessary for states wishing to establish state police.

He urged state governments to reconsider locating boarding schools in remote or poorly secured communities, while places of worship in vulnerable areas were advised to seek closer coordination with security agencies.

On the persistent farmer–herder clashes, Tinubu restated that ranching remained the sustainable solution, urging herder associations to embrace the recently created Livestock Ministry, end open grazing, and surrender illegal weapons.

The President condoled with families affected by recent attacks in Kebbi, Borno, Zamfara, Niger, Yobe, and Kwara states, and paid tribute to security personnel who lost their lives, including Brigadier-General Musa Uba.

Warning that the government’s resolve must not be mistaken for weakness, he said the administration remained determined to restore peace nationwide.

Tinubu called on citizens to remain calm, vigilant and cooperative with security agencies, adding: “This is a national emergency. We are in this fight together, and together we shall win.”