Tinubu Announces Urgent Security Overhaul, Mandates Expanded Police and Armed Forces Intake
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has proclaimed a state of security emergency across Nigeria following a series of reported terror incidents, including the abduction of students, women, and children, as well as attacks resulting in the deaths of civilians by armed criminal gangs.
Announcing the security emergency on the night of Wednesday, November 26, 2025, Tinubu also mandated a large-scale recruitment drive for both the military and the police.
In a statement, President Tinubu emphasized that the recent surge in security breaches necessitates an immediate and coordinated response, noting, “The situation demands that every available resource be mobilized.”
He instructed the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) to enlist an additional 20,000 officers, raising the ongoing recruitment total to 50,000 personnel. To expedite the process, the President authorized the use of National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) facilities as temporary training centers for new recruits.
Furthermore, all police officers recently withdrawn from VIP protection duties have been ordered to undergo intensive reorientation programs before redeployment to high-risk areas and vulnerable communities.
The President also approved an expansion of the Nigerian Army’s recruitment efforts and directed the Department of State Services (DSS) to immediately deploy trained forest guards to flush out armed bandits hiding in forests nationwide.
“This is a national emergency, and we are responding by increasing boots on the ground, particularly in regions facing severe security challenges,” Tinubu stated. He further warned, “There will no longer be safe havens for perpetrators of violence.”
Source: Araba Sey
