President Bola Tinubu on Friday used Nigeria’s Democracy Day address to deliver a stark ultimatum to armed groups operating across the country, saying those who do not surrender will face “the full force of the Nigerian State.”
Speaking as the nation marked 27 years of uninterrupted civilian rule since 1999, President Tinubu in a nationwide address, described the security warning as part of a broader appeal for national unity and democratic resilience.
“To bandits, kidnappers, and sponsors of terror: surrender or face the full force of the Nigerian State,” he said, according to a text of the speech released by the presidency.
“These windows of surrender will not remain open forever. No mercy will be shown to those who trade in the blood of Nigerians.”
The address comes as Nigeria prepares for gubernatorial elections in Ekiti and Osun states, prompting calls for heightened security and credible electoral administration.
President Tinubu urged the Independent National Electoral Commission, security agencies and political parties to ensure peaceful voting, warning that “democracy fails when citizens doubt the process.”
Tinubu outlined a series of measures aimed at bolstering security, including the recruitment of more than 50,000 police officers and thousands of military recruits under a declared security emergency.
He said the 2026 Federal Governmemt budget, commits N5.41 trillion—the largest allocation in the country’s history—to defence and security.
The Presidenr highlighted recent counterterrorism gains, noting the degradation of an Islamic State West Africa Province command center in Borno State and claiming an 81 percent reduction in terror-related deaths since 2015.
More than 13,000 militants have been “neutralised” in the past year, and the government says Operation Safe Corridor has led to the surrender of more than 124,000 fighters and dependents since 2023.
President Tinubu acknowledged ongoing insecurity, referencing recent abductions in Oyo and Borno states.
“Democracy without security is not solid enough,” he said, stressing that the administration remained prepared to do “much more to secure our people.”
The President also tied security efforts to economic policy, arguing that reforms since 2023 have restored investor confidence and that improved revenue collection would allow greater spending on infrastructure, social services and local governance.
