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President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Wednesday declared a nationwide security emergency and directed an immediate expansion of Nigeria’s security personnel to address rising insecurity across the country.

In a State House statement, the President authorised the Nigeria Police Force to recruit an additional 20,000 officers, raising the ongoing intake to 50,000. He also approved fresh recruitment into the Nigerian Army to boost manpower across all operational theatres.

Tinubu further granted approval for the police to use National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) orientation camps nationwide as temporary training depots. He directed that officers being withdrawn from VIP escort duties be placed on accelerated retraining before deployment to security-challenged areas.

The President also empowered the Department of State Services (DSS) to immediately deploy all trained forest guards to flush out terrorists and bandits hiding in forested areas. The agency has also been authorised to recruit additional personnel.

“This is a national emergency, and we are responding by deploying more boots on the ground, especially in security-challenged areas,” Tinubu said, urging citizens to remain vigilant and cooperate with security agencies.

Tinubu commended the joint efforts of security agencies that led to the release of 24 abducted schoolgirls in Kebbi State and 38 kidnapped worshippers in Kwara State. He assured that operations would continue until the remaining abducted students in Niger State and other kidnapped Nigerians are rescued.

The President reaffirmed his administration’s support for state governments that have established security outfits and called on the National Assembly to begin reviewing laws to allow states interested in forming state police to do so.

He also advised states to avoid establishing boarding schools in remote, unsecured locations and encouraged religious centres in vulnerable areas to maintain close security coordination.

On the herder–farmer conflict, Tinubu urged herder associations to embrace ranching, end open grazing and surrender illegal weapons, noting that the newly created Federal Ministry of Livestock Development would support lasting solutions.

Tinubu expressed sympathy to families affected by recent attacks in Kebbi, Borno, Zamfara, Niger, Yobe and Kwara States, and paid tribute to fallen soldiers, including Brigadier-General Musa Uba.

He assured Nigerians that the government remains committed to restoring peace and protecting citizens, saying: “Those who want to test our resolve should never mistake our restraint for weakness… We are in this fight together, and together we shall win.”