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By Ayo Kehinde
President Bola Tinubu on Friday issued one of the strongest warnings of his administration to terrorists, kidnappers, bandits and their financiers, declaring that criminal elements threatening the security of Nigeria must surrender immediately or face the “full force of the Nigerian State”.
Delivering a nationwide address to commemorate Nigeria’s 2026 Democracy Day celebration, marking 27 uninterrupted years of democratic rule, Tinubu said his administration would show no mercy to individuals and groups “trading in the blood of Nigerians”, even as he defended his government’s aggressive security operations and sweeping economic reforms.
The President, while acknowledging the growing insecurity in some parts of the country, particularly the recent abduction of schoolchildren in Oyo and Borno states, assured Nigerians that the Federal Government remains fully committed to restoring national security and dismantling criminal networks terrorizing communities nationwide.
“To the bandits, kidnappers and sponsors of terrorism: Surrender or face the full force of the Nigerian State. These windows of surrender will not remain open forever. No mercy will be shown to those who trade in the blood of Nigerians,” Tinubu declared.
The President stressed that democracy cannot thrive in a climate of insecurity, noting that his administration has since declared what he described as a “security emergency” aimed at countering terrorism, insurgency and violent crime.
According to him, the government has already approved the recruitment of over 50,000 additional police officers along with thousands of military personnel to strengthen internal security operations across the federation.
Tinubu revealed that the Federal Government had allocated $5.41 trillion for defense and security in the 2026 national budget, describing it as the largest security allocation in Nigeria’s history.
He said the administration has significantly improved military strategy, moving from conventional joint training exercises with international allies, including the United States and France, toward precisely targeted counterterrorism operations.
Highlighting recent military successes, Tinubu revealed that Nigerian security forces have successfully destroyed a major command structure belonging to the Islamic State’s West Africa province in Arege, located in Borno State.
The President further said that terrorism-related deaths across Nigeria have decreased by 81 percent since 2015, while more than 13,000 terrorists have been neutralized in the last year alone.
It also revealed that, under the government’s deradicalisation initiative, Operation Safe Corridor, over 124,000 fighters and their dependents have surrendered since 2023.
Beyond security concerns, Tinubu used his Democracy Day speech to defend his administration’s controversial economic reforms, insisting that the difficult decisions made since he took office in 2023 were necessary to save Nigeria from fiscal collapse.
The President said that prior to his administration, Nigeria’s public finances were under severe pressure, investor confidence had weakened significantly and economic uncertainty posed serious threats to national development.
According to him, economic reforms implemented over the past three years have restored credibility to fiscal management, improved transparency and significantly increased federal revenues available to federal, state and local governments.
“Since 2023, our reforms have restored stability and credibility in economic management. The Federation’s revenues have increased, providing states and local governments with more resources for infrastructure, education, healthcare and security,” he said.
Tinubu added that investor confidence has started to return, particularly in Nigeria’s growing agriculture, manufacturing, mining, transportation, technology, energy and creative sector.
The President further said that domestic oil refining capacity has increased substantially, reducing Nigeria’s dependence on imported fuel while strengthening national energy security.
Addressing Nigeria’s chronic electricity crisis, Tinubu painted a bleak picture of the sector he inherited in 2023, describing it as crippled by weak generation capacity, poor transmission infrastructure, legacy debt burdens and a metering deficit of more than four million households.
He noted that the signing of the Electricity Act 2023 fundamentally restructured the energy sector by granting state governments the constitutional authority to independently generate, transmit and distribute electricity.
Tinubu revealed that the Presidential Power Sector Task Force has been authorized to raise a $4 trillion bond to clear long-standing legacy debts within the electricity value chain.
He added that the Rural Electrification Agency, with support from the World Bank and the African Development Bank, has accelerated the deployment of off-grid and mini-grid electricity projects in universities, hospitals, markets and disadvantaged rural communities.
“Electricity is a democratic dividend we owe every Nigerian. We intend to provide it,” he said.
Tinubu also linked Nigeria’s worsening insecurity in part to weak grassroots governance, insisting that meaningful democracy must result in functional and financially independent local governments.
The President reiterated his administration’s commitment to ensuring the financial autonomy of Nigeria’s 774 local government councils, describing local government dysfunction as a major obstacle to the country’s development.
“Democracy is undermined when people do not feel its impact. The insecurity we are facing is partly due to the collapse of grassroots governance. The Renewed Hope Agenda aims to ensure that all Nigerians benefit from governance,” he said.
Reflecting on Nigeria’s democratic journey, Tinubu paid tribute to the heroes of the June 12 struggle whose sacrifices helped end military dictatorship and restore democratic rule. He honored the late Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola, widely considered the symbol of the June 12 struggle, along with his wife Kudirat Abiola.
