By Jemimah Wellington, JKNewsMedia Correspondent
RISING INSECURITY across the country has prompted the federal government to declare a nationwide security emergency, accompanied by the immediate expansion of police and armed forces personnel.
The statement authorised by Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu urged the police to recruit an additional 20,000 officers, increasing total personnel to 50,000, while the army was also instructed to undertake supplementary recruitment.
According to the release, authorities have been permitted to use National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) camps as training depots, building on prior approval for a nationwide upgrade of police training facilities.
Also, officers recently withdrawn from supposed Very Important Personalities (VIPs)’ guard duties are expected to undergo crash training to prepare them for deployment in security-challenged areas, the document stated.
The Department of State Services (DSS) has received directives to deploy trained forest guards immediately to flush out terrorists and bandits operating in the country’s forests.
The agency is further authorised to recruit additional personnel to ensure there are no hiding places for criminal elements, the statement added.
Describing the situation as a “national emergency,” the release emphasised that additional boots would be deployed to high-risk areas. Citizens were urged to participate in securing the nation and remain vigilant, it stated.
The statement highlighted recent successes of security agencies, including the release of 24 schoolgirls in Kebbi State and 38 worshippers in Kwara State.
Efforts are continuing to rescue the remaining students of a Catholic school in Niger State, as well as other citizens still held hostage, the release noted.
The statement addressed the military directly, applauding officers for their courage and sacrifice while urging them to maintain discipline and integrity across all operations.
It also called for zero collusion or negligence and reassured personnel of government support to succeed in restoring peace across all theatres of operation.
State governments operating security outfits will also receive federal support to safeguard citizens against terrorist threats, the statement added.
The National Assembly (NASS) was also called upon to begin reviewing laws to enable states requiring local police to establish them.
Educational institutions in remote areas were advised to reconsider security risks, and mosques and churches were encouraged to ensure police or other security presence during gatherings, particularly in vulnerable regions.
Also, the statement addressed conflicts between herders and farmers, noting the creation of a Livestock Ministry to manage the issue urging herder associations to end open grazing, and surrender illegal weapons, and adopt ranching as the path forward for sustainable livestock farming.
It also notes that federal and state governments will collaborate to implement these measures, according to the release.
The Federal Government also expressed condolences to families who lost loved ones in attacks in Kebbi, Borno, Zamfara, Niger, Yobe, and Kwara States.
Tribute was also paid to soldiers who made the ultimate sacrifice, including Brigadier-General Musa Uba.
It also issued a warning to individuals seeking to challenge the administration’s resolve, emphasising that restraint should not be mistaken for weakness.
Citizens were further urged to remain calm, vigilant, and cooperative with security agencies, with assurance that the administration would continue to guarantee peaceful coexistence and preserve national unity, as the President concluded with a prayer for Nigeria and its armed forces.
