By Opeyemi Adelakun
President Bola Tinubu has issued a stern warning to terrorists, bandits, kidnappers and their sponsors, urging them to surrender or face the full force of the Nigerian state.
Speaking during his Democracy Day address on Thursday, Tinubu declared that his administration would show no mercy to those responsible for the killing and abduction of innocent Nigerians.
“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,” the President said.
Tinubu said security remained a top priority of his administration, noting that democracy could not thrive in an atmosphere of fear and insecurity.
The President disclosed that more than 50,000 police officers and thousands of military recruits had been approved for recruitment, while the 2026 budget earmarked N5.41 trillion for defence and security, the largest allocation to the sector in Nigeria’s history.
According to him, security forces have intensified intelligence-led operations against terrorist groups, leading to significant gains in the fight against insurgency.
He said the command structure of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) had been degraded in parts of Borno State, while terror-related deaths had dropped significantly in recent years.
Tinubu revealed that over 13,000 terrorists had been neutralised within the last year and more than 124,000 fighters and their dependants had surrendered through Operation Safe Corridor since 2023.
The President, however, maintained that while the government remained open to accepting repentant fighters, the opportunity would not last indefinitely.
He urged Nigerians not to politicise insecurity or view criminal activities through ethnic or regional lenses, stressing the need for national unity in confronting security challenges.
“We must stand united and be assured that the enemies of our nation shall soon be history. We will triumph over terror and continue to build a more prosperous nation,” he said.
Tinubu also reflected on Nigeria’s democratic journey, describing June 12, 1993, as a defining moment in the country’s history and paying tribute to the heroes of the pro-democracy struggle, including the late Chief MKO Abiola and Kudirat Abiola.
He said the task before the current generation was to secure economic prosperity and ensure that the benefits of democracy were felt by all Nigerians.
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