President Bola Tinubu has issued a stern warning to bandits, kidnappers and financiers of terrorism, declaring that those responsible for violence against Nigerians must surrender or face the full weight of the law.
Speaking during Nigeria’s 27th consecutive Democracy Day celebration and his fourth Democracy Day address since assuming office in 2023, the President said his administration remained determined to dismantle criminal networks responsible for killings, kidnappings and insecurity across the country.
Tinubu stressed that while opportunities for surrender and rehabilitation remain available, they will not last indefinitely.
“To bandits, kidnappers, and sponsors of terror: 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.”
The President highlighted what he described as significant gains in the country’s counter-terrorism efforts, noting that security operations have evolved from international training collaborations to targeted military actions.
“We have moved from training with our allies, the United States, France and other European countries, to precision targeting.
“In Arege, Borno State, we degraded ISWAP’s command centre.
“Terror-related deaths are down by 81 per cent since 2015.
“Over 13,000 terrorists have been neutralised in the past year.”
Despite these gains, Tinubu said his administration continues to support rehabilitation initiatives for former fighters willing to abandon violence.
According to him, more than 124,000 fighters and their dependents have surrendered since 2023 through Operation Safe Corridor.
“Over 124,000 fighters and dependents have laid down their arms since 2023 through Operation Safe Corridor.”
The President disclosed that the Federal Government has earmarked N5.41 trillion for defence and security in the 2026 budget, describing it as the largest security allocation in the nation’s history and a reflection of the government’s commitment to ending terrorism.
He further revealed that over 50,000 new police officers and thousands of military recruits have been approved for recruitment to strengthen security coverage across Nigeria’s population of more than 230 million people.
While acknowledging the nation’s democratic progress, Tinubu said this year’s Democracy Day observance was overshadowed by the continued captivity of schoolchildren and teachers abducted in Oyo and Borno states.
“Though this year’s mood is dampened by the abduction of our children in Oyo and Borno, we remain hopeful for their safe return. Democracy without security is a mirage.
“That is why this administration declared a security emergency and approved the recruitment of more than 50,000 new police officers and thousands of military recruits.
“Our 2026 budget commits N5.41tn, our largest ever, to defence and security. Our administration is ever ready to do much more to secure our people.”
Calling for national solidarity, the President urged Nigerians not to associate criminal activities with ethnicity or religion.
“At a time like this, let us not assign blame or point fingers. Crime has no ethnicity.
“We must stand united and be assured that the enemies of our nation shall soon be history.
“We will triumph over terror and continue to build a more prosperous nation.”
Addressing Nigeria’s electricity challenges, Tinubu outlined the state of the power sector when he assumed office in 2023, describing it as one plagued by insufficient generation, unreliable gas supply, weak transmission infrastructure and a metering deficit exceeding four million customers.
According to him, the sector consistently underperformed across generation, transmission, distribution and revenue collection.
In response, the President said his administration enacted the Electricity Act, empowering states to generate, transmit and distribute electricity independently.
“To address the problems besetting the sector, I signed the Electricity Act, which grants states authority to generate, transmit, and distribute power.
“The Presidential Power Sector Task Force is working hard to reduce the metering deficit. It has also been authorised to raise N4tn bond to settle verified legacy debts.
“The Rural Electrification Agency, supported by the World Bank and the African Development Bank, has deployed off-grid and mini-grid power to underserved communities, universities, markets, and hospitals.
“Electricity is a democratic dividend we owe every Nigerian. We intend to deliver it.”
On the economy, Tinubu said reforms introduced by his administration have improved fiscal transparency, increased federation revenues and strengthened investor confidence across key sectors, including agriculture, energy, manufacturing, technology, mining, transportation and the creative industry.
The President noted that non-oil exports rose by 21 per cent in the previous year, while more than 1,000 small and medium-sized enterprises had received export certification. He also disclosed that the National Agricultural Development Fund is rolling out 10,000 tractors over a five-year period to support food production.
However, he acknowledged that many Nigerians continue to face economic hardship.
“Yet, many Nigerians still face economic hardship. We remain focused on reducing inflation, expanding food production, creating jobs, improving living standards, rebuilding confidence in our economy, and creating conditions for sustainable prosperity.
“We are moving from uncertainty to stability. The next phase is about accelerating growth and ensuring the benefits are felt in every home, every community, and every region. We believe that Democracy must be felt in the pocket.”
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