Ebenezer Adurokiya, Reporting
PRESIDENT Bola Ahmed Tinubu has issued a stern warning to bandits, kidnappers and sponsors of terrorism across Nigeria, declaring that those who refuse to surrender will face the full force of the law as his administration intensifies efforts to tackle insecurity.
In his nationwide Democracy Day address on Friday, marking 27 years of uninterrupted civilian rule in Nigeria, President Tinubu said the government would continue to combine military action with opportunities for rehabilitation, but stressed that the window for surrender would not remain open indefinitely.
“To bandits, kidnappers, and sponsors of terror: surrender or face the full force of the Nigerian State. These windows of surrender will not remain open forever. No mercy will be shown to those who trade in the blood of Nigerians,” Tinubu declared.
Tinubu noted that security remained a major priority of his administration, especially in light of the recent abduction of schoolchildren in Oyo and Borno states.
According to him, the Federal Government has declared a security emergency and approved the recruitment of more than 50,000 police officers alongside thousands of military personnel to strengthen national security architecture.
Tinubu disclosed that the 2026 budget allocated N5.41 trillion to defence and security, describing it as the largest security allocation in Nigeria’s history.
Highlighting gains in the fight against insurgency, the President said Nigerian security forces had moved beyond conventional training exercises with allies such as the United States, France and other European nations to precision military operations against terrorist groups.
The president revealed that troops successfully degraded the command centre of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) in Arege, Borno State, while terror-related deaths have reportedly declined by 81 per cent since 2015.
The President further stated that more than 13,000 terrorists had been neutralised in the past year, while over 124,000 fighters and their dependants had surrendered through Operation Safe Corridor since 2023.
Calling for national unity, Tinubu urged Nigerians not to ethnicise criminality or engage in blame games.
“At a time like this, let us not assign blame or point fingers. Crime has no ethnicity. We must stand united and be assured that the enemies of our nation shall soon be history,” he said.
The President expressed confidence that Nigeria would ultimately overcome terrorism and insecurity, adding that peace and security were essential foundations for national prosperity.
Beyond security, Tinubu used the Democracy Day address to reflect on Nigeria’s democratic journey since 1999, paying tribute to the heroes of the June 12 struggle, including the late Chief M.K.O. Abiola and other pro-democracy activists who fought for the restoration of civilian rule.
President Tinubu urged Nigerians to remain committed to democratic values and national development, while encouraging young people to contribute to nation-building rather than seeking solutions elsewhere.
“Nigeria is your home and your future. Build here, code here, work here, and vote here. Every great nation was built by those who stayed to solve problems, not by those who abandoned ship,” he said.
The President also announced the renaming of the Institute of Petroleum Studies in Kaduna as the General Shehu Musa Yar’Adua University of Geological Sciences and Engineering Technology in honour of the late military officer and democracy advocate.
In addition, Tinubu unveiled a list of pro-democracy activists, journalists, politicians and military officers to receive national honours for their roles in the struggle for democracy, stating that the full honours list would be released in the coming days.
Reflecting on Nigeria’s democratic progress, the President said the country had disproved predictions that democracy could not survive because of its diversity.
“June 12 reminds us: Nigerians do not break. We bend, we bleed, but we do not break,” Tinubu stated.
He urged citizens to renew their commitment to building a united, prosperous and democratic nation where justice, liberty and opportunity are available to all.
