President Bola Tinubu has issued a stern warning to bandits, kidnappers, and sponsors of terror in the country to surrender or face the full force of the Nigerian State.
In a nationwide broadcast marking 27 years of unbroken civilian rule in commemoration of the 2026 Democracy Day, President Tinubu noted that democracy without security is a mirage and assured the perpetrators that they will be dealt a heavy blow.
Addressing the nation’s security challenges, particularly recent student abductions in Oyo and Borno states, the President revealed that the 2026 budget committed a record 5.41 trillion Naira to defense alongside the recruitment of over 50,000 police officers.
While warning them that windows of surrender will not remain open forever, he however observed that terror-related deaths have dropped by 81% since 2015 with over 13,000 terrorists neutralized in the past year.
“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% since 2015. Over 13,000 terrorists have been neutralised in the past year.
“But we also keep the door of surrender open. Over 124,000 fighters and dependents have laid down their arms since 2023 through Operation Safe Corridor.
“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.
“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,” Tinubu noted.
Speaking about the economy, President Tinubu who defended his administration’s aggressive reforms as a necessity to salvage public finances, disclosed that the next phase of his administration is to ensure that democracy is felt by the masses through tackling inflation and boosting local production.
On the intractable energy challenges, the President announced that the Presidential Power Sector Task Force has been authorized to raise a four trillion Naira bond to clear legacy debts drowning the power value chain, pointing out that the Electricity Act, which decentralizes power generation to states, is already yielding results.
While reiterating his resolve to ensure grassroots development, he emphasized his administration’s push for full financial autonomy for the 774 local government areas, attributing the rise in rural insecurity to the collapse of local governance.
President Tinubu used the occasion to announce the conferment of national awards on 51 eminent Nigerians including prominent media icons, pro-democracy activists, and retired military officers who fought against military dictatorship during the historic June 12 struggle.
Prominent among the honourees are the loquacious All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain Joe Igbokwe, the National Democratic Coalition (NADECO) chieftains Chief Ayo Opadokun, Chief Ralph Obioha, and Dr. Arthur Nwankwo (posthumous); media veterans Lade Bonuola, Femi Kusa, Sir Ademola Osinubi, and Dele Alake; and activists Dr. Joe Okei-Odumakin, Richard Akinnola, and Prof. Sylvester Odion-Akhaine.
Others include “Soldier-Democrats” who opposed military junta regimes, such as retired Colonels Sambo Dasuki and Lawan Gwadabe, Major-General Isholal Williams, and the Etsu Nupe, Brigadier Yahaya Abubakar.
President Tinubu also approved the renaming of the Institute of Petroleum Studies, Kaduna, as the General Shehu Musa Yar’Adua University of Geological Sciences and Engineering Technology.
On the essence of the day, the President paid tributes to the late Chief M.K.O. Abiola, the winner of the annulled June 12, 1993 presidential election, and other icons, stating that while Nigeria’s democracy is not perfect, it remains the ultimate vehicle for national development.
