The President of Nigeria, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has declared a nationwide security emergency following recent security concerns in his country.
In a statement issued on the evening of Wednesday, November 26, 2025, the Nigerian President cited the recent kidnapping of Christians and students as reasons for the declaration of the national security emergency.
“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.
“… My fellow Nigerians, this is a national emergency, and we are responding by deploying more boots on the ground, especially in security-challenged areas. The times require all hands on deck. As Nigerians, we should all get involved in securing our nation,” the president wrote.
He added, “Let me take this moment to commend our security agencies for working together to secure the release of the 24 schoolgirls in Kebbi and the 38 worshippers in Kwara State. We will continue to sustain the efforts to rescue the remaining students of Catholic School in Niger State and other Nigerians still being held hostage.”
President Tinubu went on to authorise the recruitment of 20,000 police personnel, among other measures, to deal with the worsening security situation in Nigeria.
“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. Although I had previously approved the nationwide upgrade of police training facilities, the police authorities are, by this statement, authorised to use various National Youth Service Corps camps as training depots.
“The officers being withdrawn from VIP guard duties should undergo crash training to debrief them and deliver more efficient police services when deployed to security-challenged areas of the country,” he said.
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The president added, “The DSS also has my authority to immediately deploy all the forest guards already trained to flush out the terrorists and bandits lurking in our forests. The agency also has my directive to recruit more men to man the forests. There will be no more hiding places for agents of evil.”
He sympathised with families of victims who have lost their lives in the recent attacks by insurgents, while urging the country not to give up in the face of the insecurities.
“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.
“Fellow Compatriots, I urge you not to give in to fear and never succumb to despair. Let’s stand together in purpose and strength to defend our freedom and values. Our administration will continue to guarantee peaceful co-existence and preserve our union. I urge all Nigerians to remain calm and vigilant. Report suspicious activities. Cooperate with security agencies. We are in this fight together, and together we shall win,” he assured.
The statement by Tinubu comes following US President Donald Trump’s threat of military action in Nigeria over what has been described as genocide against Christians.
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Speaking at the White House on November 5, 2025, the US president asserted that his country would not sit by as Christians are slaughtered in the West African country. He went on to order the Department of War to ready themselves for action in Nigeria, adding that the US military, if need be, would descend on Nigeria to kill all the terrorists.
“We’re going to do things to Nigeria that Nigeria is not going to be happy about. And we may very well go into that now-disgraced country, guns blazing, to completely wipe out the Islamic terrorists who are committing these horrible, horrible atrocities.
“I’m hereby instructing our Department of War to prepare for possible action. If we attack, it would be fast, vicious, and sweet, just as the terrorist thugs attack our cherished Christians,” Trump warned.
The Nigerian government, led by Tinubu, has denied the claim of Christian genocide and has been engaging the US government over the matter.
Read Tinubu’s statement below:
In addition, our administration will support state governments which have set up security outfits to safeguard their people from the terrorists bent on disrupting our national peace.
I call on the National Assembly to begin reviewing our laws to allow states that require state… pic.twitter.com/2OB2UTJq5l
— Bola Ahmed Tinubu (@officialABAT) November 26, 2025
BAI
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