President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has declared a nationwide security emergency, ordering sweeping measures to tackle escalating kidnappings, banditry, and terrorist attacks across Nigeria’s northern and central regions.

In a televised address from Aso Rock, Tinubu directed the Nigerian Police Force to recruit an additional 20,000 officers, raising the total approved intake to 50,000, while instructing the Armed Forces to expand their ranks immediately. He authorized the use of National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) camps as temporary training depots and mandated crash courses for officers reassigned from VIP protection duties to frontline deployments. The State Security Service (SSS) also received clearance to mobilize trained forest guards to clear bandit hideouts and patrol woodlands. “There will be no more hiding places for agents of evil,” Tinubu declared.

The announcement follows a series of abductions, including the release of 24 schoolgirls in Kebbi State and 38 worshippers in Kwara State earlier this month, alongside ongoing efforts to free hostages from a Catholic school in Niger State. Tinubu commended security agencies for these operations but underscored the scale of the crisis, citing SBM Intelligence data showing at least 4,722 kidnappings and 762 deaths in the past year. He expressed sympathy for families affected by attacks in Kebbi, Borno, Zamfara, Niger, Yobe, and Kwara, and paid tribute to fallen soldiers, including Brigadier-General Musa Uba.

Tinubu urged the National Assembly to amend laws enabling states to establish police forces where necessary and pledged federal support for existing state security outfits. He advised against building boarding schools in remote areas without safeguards, called on religious leaders to seek protection for gatherings, and pressed herder groups to abandon open grazing and illegal arms in favor of ranching through the new Livestock Ministry. “This is a national emergency, and we are responding by deploying more boots on the ground,” he said, appealing for public vigilance and cooperation.

The move aligns with recent U.S. warnings over Nigeria’s insecurity and comes amid a surge of mass kidnappings targeting schools and communities, displacing millions and straining humanitarian resources. Tinubu assured citizens of unwavering resolve: “Those who want to test our resolve should never mistake our restraint for weakness.”