ABUJA, NIGERIA — President Bola Ahmed Tinubu today declared a nationwide security emergency and ordered an immediate, large-scale increase in the personnel of the Armed Forces and Police, citing the “emerging security situation” across the country.
The sweeping declaration, announced in a statement from the Statehouse, authorizes the police and the military to undertake significant new recruitment drives.
He mandated the Nigeria Police Force to specifically recruit an additional 20,000 officers, bringing its total intended intake to 50,000.
The President authorized police authorities to utilize various National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) camps as temporary training depots to accommodate the influx of new recruits.
He also noted that officers currently deployed on VIP guard duties are to be recalled for crash training before being redeployed to security-challenged areas to deliver more efficient police services.
President Tinubu further emphasized that the Department of State Services (DSS) has been directed to immediately deploy all trained forest guards to flush out terrorists and bandits, and to recruit more personnel to man the forests, stating, “There will be no more hiding places for agents of evil.”
He maintained that his administration is pledged to support state governments that have established security outfits to safeguard their people.
President Tinubu called on the National Assembly to begin reviewing laws to allow states that require state police to establish them.
He emphasized the gravity of the situation, calling it a “national emergency,” and urged for “all hands on deck.”
