Nigeria's president declares nationwide security emergency following series of kidnappings

Nigeria's President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Wednesday declared a nationwide security emergency following a series of killings and kidnappings in the country.

The president, in a statement issued from the State House and shared on X, also directed the police to recruit 20,000 new officers to tackle the insecurity, bringing the total planned intake to 50,000. He had given instructions for the recruitment of 30,000 police officers on Sunday.

"Although I had previously approved the nationwide upgrade of police training facilities, the police authorities are, by this statement, authorized to use various National Youth Service Corps camps as training depots," he said.

"The officers being withdrawn from VIP guard duties should undergo crash training to debrief them and deliver more efficient police services when deployed to security-challenged areas of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 also directed Nigeria's secret police, known as the Department of State Services, to deploy trained forest guards to flush out terrorists in the woodlands.

"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," Tinubu said.

The president called on the National Assembly to review laws to allow states to establish state police where necessary and urged local authorities and religious institutions to improve security measures.

He called on Nigerians not to succumb to fear, stressing that the government remains committed to safeguarding citizens, ensuring national unity, and supporting security forces in restoring peace.

"Report suspicious activities. Cooperate with security agencies. We are in this fight together, and together we shall win," he said.

Last week, more than 300 schoolchildren were kidnapped from a Catholic school in the country's north-central Niger State.

Earlier this month, US President Donald Trump threatened Nigeria with possible military action for the alleged killing of Christians. Abuja has pushed back on these claims describing them as a misrepresentation of reality.