Security chiefs have briefed President Bola Tinubu on ongoing efforts to curb insecurity across Nigeria. There are indications that the government is close to securing the release of abducted children and teachers from a recent school attack. The government has not abdicated its responsibility and continues to work tirelessly to strengthen security nationwide.
Government Vows to Bring Perpetrators to Justice
President Tinubu warned that those sponsoring or exploiting kidnapping and banditry for political gain ahead of the 2027 elections will face justice. The recent abduction of schoolchildren in Ahoro-Esiele Community, Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State, remains deeply distressing. On May 15, kidnappers abducted 38 schoolchildren and killed one teacher in a heinous assault on the nation's security and educational system.
The Nigerian Union of Teachers and students across the country have protested the incident. While the action is understandable, the government stressed that such tragedies should not be used as political fodder amid the country's challenging security situation.
President Shares Personal Experience with Kidnapping
Tunde Rahman, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Special Duties, revealed that President Tinubu understands the pain of kidnapping firsthand. In April, the president's cook was kidnapped in Kabba, Kogi State, while traveling from Lagos to Abuja. He was one of 18 passengers abducted by bandits and spent 13 days in captivity before being released through coordinated efforts by the Kogi State Commissioner of Police.
Rahman noted that the ordeal described by the cook was harrowing, and the families of the 18 abducted endured unspeakable trauma to secure their release. Despite the rising cases of kidnapping, the government is not helpless and is doing everything possible to combat the scourge.
President's Security Strategy: Kinetic and Non-Kinetic Approaches
President Tinubu views insecurity as an existential threat and has left no stone unturned to guarantee the safety of Nigerians. After the Oriire abduction, the president sent a high-powered delegation led by his Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, including National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu and Minister of Defence General Christopher Musa, to empathize with the victims' families and support ongoing security efforts.
Security agents are working to trace and apprehend the kidnappers, secure the release of the abducted students and teachers, and bring the criminals to justice. The government's security strategy rests on two legs: kinetic and non-kinetic. On the kinetic side, Nigeria has moved from capacity building to precision targeting, with a new counterterrorism doctrine focused on unified command, intelligence gathering, community stability, and counterinsurgency.
Nigeria-US Security Cooperation Yields Results
Nigeria has collaborated with the United States on security, with cooperation shifting from training and equipment to real-time intelligence fusion and precision strikes. In 2024, the precision of Nigerian Air Force strikes rose to 67 percent, compared to 41 percent in 2022. A joint Nigeria-US strike in Arege, Borno State, degraded ISWAP's command center, killing 21 suspected terrorists, including three middle-level commanders.
On May 16, Presidents Tinubu and Trump confirmed that Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, alleged to be the second-in-command of ISIL globally, was killed in a joint counterterrorism operation in the Lake Chad area. Last year, the Defence Headquarters announced that armed forces neutralized over 13,000 terrorists, arrested 4,375 suspects, convicted 124 terrorists, and saw over 124,000 fighters and dependents surrender.
Security Emergency and Increased Recruitment
In November, President Tinubu declared a nationwide security emergency and designated bandits as terrorists, enabling harsher responses. He directed the police to recruit 20,000 additional officers, raising total recruits to 50,000, along with new military and SSS recruitment. Last week, the president approved the recruitment of 1,000 forest guards for Oyo State following the Oriire abduction.
President Tinubu emphasized that the police remain the frontline agency for internal security, but they must work with the military, SSS, and other agencies. Cooperation among security agencies is vital to eliminating banditry, kidnapping, and armed robbery. The 2026 budget earmarked ₦5.41 trillion for defence and security, the largest single allocation, to procure modern equipment and boost operational capacity.
Non-Kinetic Strategies and Economic Focus
Non-kinetic strategies, including stakeholder engagement, crime prevention, and de-radicalization, remain active. Over 124,000 insurgents and dependents have exited through Operation Safe Corridor since 2023. President Tinubu frames insecurity as foreign to Nigerian culture and an economic drag, tying security to the Renewed Hope Agenda, which prioritizes economic diversification, productivity, and human capital to undermine drivers of violence.
Appointment of Special Adviser on Homeland Security
The recent appointment of General Adeyinka Famadewa (rtd) as special adviser on homeland security has sparked controversy, with some suggesting it aims to reduce the influence of National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu. The government clarified that the appointment was to add more hands to tame insecurity and bring terrorists to justice, not to curb Ribadu's powers or influence northerners. President Tinubu has stated he will do whatever is required to end insecurity, including putting more men and boots on the ground. NSA Ribadu remains a key ally and is still in charge of the national security architecture.
