Amid rising killings and a wave of mass abductions by gunmen and suspected terrorists across the country, President Bola Tinubu on Wednesday declared a nationwide security emergency.

The President, in a statement personally signed and released in Abuja, also ordered an immediate expansion of the manpower of the Armed Forces and the Nigeria Police Force as the Federal Government rushes to halt the worsening insecurity.

“Today, in view of the emerging security situation, I have decided to declare a nationwide security emergency and order additional recruitment into the Armed Forces,” Tinubu said.

“By this declaration, the police and the army are authorised to recruit more personnel. The police will recruit an additional 20,000 officers, bringing the total to 50,000.”

Tinubu explained that he had already approved upgrades of police training facilities nationwide and authorised the use of selected National Youth Service Corps camps as police training depots.

He added that officers withdrawn from VIP guard duties would undergo “crash training” before being redeployed to areas battling heightened insecurity.

The President also directed the Department of State Services to immediately deploy all trained forest guards to flush out terrorists and bandits hiding in forests across the country. The DSS was further authorised to recruit additional personnel.

“There will be no more hiding places for agents of evil. This is a national emergency. We are deploying more boots on the ground, especially in vulnerable communities. The times require all hands on deck. As Nigerians, we must all get involved in securing our nation,” he said.

Tinubu commended security agencies for jointly securing the release of 24 abducted schoolgirls in Kebbi State and 38 worshippers in Kwara State. He assured that efforts were ongoing to rescue students of Catholic schools in Niger State and other kidnapped Nigerians still in captivity.

“To the leadership and rank and file of our Armed Forces, I commend your courage and sacrifice. This is a challenging moment for our nation and for the military itself. I charge you to remain resolute, restore peace across all theatres of operation, and uphold the highest standards of discipline. There must be no compromise, no collusion, and no negligence,” he added.

The President announced that the Federal Government would support state governments operating community-based security outfits.

Tinubu also urged the National Assembly to begin reviewing laws that would allow states seeking to establish their own police forces to do so.

He warned states against maintaining boarding schools in remote areas without adequate security and advised churches and mosques in vulnerable areas to engage security agencies when organising large gatherings.

On the lingering farmer–herder clashes, Tinubu restated that the newly created Ministry of Livestock Development would provide long-term solutions. He appealed to herders to embrace ranching, end open grazing, and surrender illegal weapons.

“I sympathise with the families who have lost their loved ones in recent attacks on soft targets in Kebbi, Borno, Zamfara, Niger, Yobe, and Kwara states. I also pay tribute to our brave soldiers who have made the ultimate sacrifice, including Brigadier-General Musa Uba,” he said.

Warning criminal groups not to undermine the state, Tinubu emphasised that his administration possessed the resolve and capacity to secure the country.

“Fellow compatriots, I urge you not to give in to fear or despair. Stand firm to defend our freedom and values. Our administration will continue to guarantee peaceful co-existence and preserve our union.”

He called on citizens to remain vigilant, report suspicious activities, and cooperate with security agencies.

Tinubu’s declaration came amid nationwide outrage after the killing of at least five people in Kebbi and Kwara states, and the abduction of over 300 schoolchildren from Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School, Maga, in Kebbi State, and St Mary’s Catholic School, Papiri, in Niger State.

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Suspected bandits have abducted four rice farmers in Bokungi community, Edu Local Government Area of Kwara State.

The incident occurred on Wednesday evening while the victims were working on their farms during the peak of the harvest season. It came barely 24 hours after gunmen attacked a church in Eruku, Ekiti LGA of the state, killing two worshippers and abducting several others.

According to sources, the attackers stormed the farms suddenly and surrounded the farmers as they gathered their harvested rice.

“It has been confirmed that bandits struck again at Bokungi under the Lafiagi Emirate. Four people were abducted. Information is still emerging,” the sources said.

Residents said the gunmen operated for several minutes without resistance, forcing the farmers into a nearby bush before whisking them away to an unknown location.

Community members also lamented rising insecurity in Edu LGA, noting that several farming settlements had been abandoned as farmers now fear venturing out during the harvest period when they are most vulnerable.

The Kwara State Police Command and the state government had yet to comment on the incident as of the time of filing this report.

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In a statement by spokesman, Kehinde Aderemi, Adams decried the pain inflicted on the people “by the inaction and connivance of those in authority with terrorists”.

He urged President Muhammadu Buhari to stop the drift, warning that breaches in recent months confirmed that “all is not well with the security architecture”.

“A dollar is now more than N700. This is an administration that met dollars at less than N200 in 2015.

“We now have a situation in which family members are being forced to raise N100million naira to pay as ransom.

“The money is delivered to these terrorists to buy more weapons and the government is merely watching.”

The Yoruba high chief said after abductions and killings, “the President summons Service Chiefs, statements are issued and that is the end of it”.

Adams noted that the situation has reached a peak with terrorists threatening to kidnap the President, governors, and lawmakers.”

He lamented the information that several reports from the Department of State Services (DSS) warned of the invasion of the Kuje prison.

The traditional leader said Nigeria is going down and “looks as if there is no government in the country”.

Observing that Abuja has seemingly “lost the battle to terrorists”, Adams warned the insurgents against committing atrocities in the Southwest.

“We will never allow them to destroy our land. We urge the governors to hold an emergency security meeting with stakeholders”, he advised.

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A military insider told DAILY POST that Bosede Tuwase is part of the seven hostages released on Saturday.

The woman is the wife of Air Vice Marshal (AVM) Olurotimi Anthony Tuwase.

“A Pakistani and Bosede Olurotimi are among those released. She is AVM A. O. Tuwase’s spouse.

“We all knew since but the information was safeguarded,” the source said.

Tuwase is the Commandant, Armed Forces Command and Staff College (AFCSC) in Jaji near Kaduna.

He assumed the position in January 2022 when the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) announced new postings and redeployments.

The ‘AK9’ train operated by the Nigeria Railway Corporation (NRC) was brutally waylaid by insurgents.

It was attacked the night of Monday March 28 at a location between Katari and Rijana.

NRC said 398 passengers purchased tickets while 362 boarded; some persons were killed and scores abducted.

The terrorists are still holding dozens of captives more than 110 days after the Kaduna ambuscade.

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He also raised alarm that forests across the nation have been taken over by terrorists.

Akeredolu’s comments came on a day that President Muhammadu Buhari directed increased kinetic and non-kinetic efforts to trace and bring back over 51 passengers who were kidnapped on a Abuja-Kaduna train.

The Governor stated this while receiving members of the Council of All Saints Church, Jericho, Ibadan, who came on a condolence visit.

He said: “We have terrorists in Nigeria. We need the world to assist Nigeria.

“If Nigeria doesn’t want it, Ondo State wants it. They still attacked somewhere in Ogun State recently. There are terrorists lurking in our forests.”

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The Golis Mountains are a known area for terrorist activity.  Precision airstrikes such as these support Somali security forces efforts to protect the Somali people from terrorists and support long-term security in the region.

At this time, it is assessed the airstrike killed three (3) terrorists.

Currently, we assess no civilians were injured or killed as a result of this airstrike.

U.S. Africa Command will continue to work with its partners to transfer the responsibility for long-term security in Somalia from AMISOM to the Federal Government of Somalia and its Member States.  In support of the Federal Government of Somalia, U.S. forces will use all effective and appropriate methods to assist in the protection of the Somali people, including partnered military counterterrorism operations with the Federal Government of Somalia, AMISOM, and Somali National Army forces.

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NAF’s Director of Public Relations and Information, Air Commodore Ibikunle Daramola, made this known in a statement on Monday.

He disclosed further that the Air Task Force (ATF) of Operation Lafiya Dole conducted the attack on Sunday, following successive days of Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) missions, coupled with human intelligence reports.

Daramola also explained that the reports established that a building within the settlement was being used as a rendezvous by the insurgents, where their commanders assemble to take instructions before launching attacks against military troops and innocent civilians.

“Accordingly, the ATF detailed its fighter aircraft to attack the hideout, scoring accurate hits within the designated area leading to the decimation of the target structure.

“Several BHTs were also killed as a result of the strikes,” the statement said.

NAF , thereafter vowed to sustain its efforts while working with surface forces to completely destroy all remnants of the terrorists in the north-east region of the country.

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The aircraft detailed by the Air Task Force (ATF) of Operation Lafiya Dole attacked the location following intelligence reports that a section of the settlement was serving as a training camp for the terrorists.

This was confirmed in a statement signed by the Air Force Spokesman, Air Commodore Ibikunle Daramola who also added that some buildings within the camp were being used to store fuel, arms and ammunition as well as other logistics supplies.

“The airstrike was executed after credible intelligence reports had established that a section of the settlement was serving as a training camp for the terrorists, while some buildings within the camp were being used to store their fuel, arms and ammunition as well as other logistics supplies.

“The pre-attack surveillance showed scores of fighters attempting to flee the location upon hearing the sound of the attack aircraft. They were engaged by the attack aircraft in successive passes, neutralising many of them. The terrorists’ logistics supply store, which was also hit, was seen engulfed in flames due to the raid,” the statement reads.

The terrorists’ logistics supply store was also destroyed during the raid.

The NAF further promised to sustain its efforts to completely destroy all remnants of the terrorists in the Northeast.

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Its spokesperson, Air Commodore Ibikunle Daramola, in a statement  disclosed that the operation was executed after series of Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) missions revealed solar panels, communications equipment and other facilities at the command centre.

Its explained further that the bombardment targeted the remnants of Boko Haram and Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP) terrorists in northeast of Nigeria, under the Operation Green Sweep 3, aimed at identifying and destroying terrorists’ positions in the troubled Borno state.

The statement stressed  that the structures housing the command centre were destroyed in the air strikes while several of the terrorists were killed.

The Nigerian Air Force, however  vowed to intensify the operations against the terrorists in the northeast in collaboration with the ground forces.

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Col. Timothy Antigha, the Chief of Military Public Information of the MNJTF, who confirmed this in a statement on Saturday, said this was the greatest loss suffered by the terrorists in the last six months.

According to Antigha, troops effectively suppressed ISWAP and successfully conducted the clearance operation.

“Unfortunately, the MNJTF lost a soldier while 10 others were wounded in action,” he said.

He said the terrorists also lost equipment as two of their gun trucks, and three motorcycles were destroyed, while troops recovered two light machine guns and two AK 47 riffles from them.

Antigha said earlier in the week, ISWAP also met a similar fate when they attempted to attack MNJTF troops in Sector 1 Foward Operation Base (FOB) in Ngouma in Cameroon.

He said in that engagement, ISWAP lost five terrorists, while one was captured.

The MNJTF spokesman also said that 13 AK 47 riffles and 2 hand grenades were recovered from the encounter.

Similarly, he said the MNJTF also conducted air interdictions in Arege and Malkorony where several terrorists were killed as the headquarters and logistics base of a top ISWAP commander, Abu Talib was targeted in that operation.

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