President Bola Tinubu has issued a stern warning to terrorists and bandits troubling Nigerians, urging them to surrender to government forces or face lethal consequences in battle.
Tinubu, who stated that his administration has had enough of the activities of bandits, terrorists, and other non-state actors, said he had put in place both kinetic and non-kinetic strategies to eliminate the criminal elements tormenting the country.
The president spoke on Thursday in Abuja at the inaugural international lecture organised by the News Agency of Nigeria.
Represented by the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, Tinubu said the days of these criminal elements were numbered, warning them to either drop their arms or be killed.
He said, “Cowards, idiots, bandits, kidnapping for ransom, and violent extremists—bad people. I can assure you, we are here to confront you. Enough is enough. For 15 years we’ve been going through hell in this country. These bad people have been doing what they like. They continue to interfere with how we live, interfere with our commerce, education, health system, and transportation. Enough is enough. It has to stop. It will stop!
“It’s a warning to them. Time is running out. If you want to live, stop this. If you want to live your life, end it now. Examples have been made. They’ve seen what’s happening to their own leaders. The non-kinetic approach is still important.
“Windows are open, doors are open. If you’re ready to surrender and stop, do so. Otherwise, you know what’s coming, whoever you are.”
The President also vowed that the kidnapping for ransom, which has become prevalent in the country, would soon be a thing of the past.
“Today, kidnapping is an economic crime. It has replaced armed robbery, bank robbery, and housebreaking. And you see them—stupid, cowardly people—taking others and hiding them, then asking for money. We will find you.
“We defeated armed robbery before in this country. We will also defeat kidnappers. It’s a matter of time. We are just one year, three months, or four months old. Give us time.”
Tinubu also warned corrupt officials to be cautious, threatening to deal with them.
He said, “We have taken steps to improve governance through strengthening institutions, promoting accountability, and ensuring inclusive decision-making. Even those who corrupt people, be careful. It will come for you. It’s coming.”
Tinubu stated that his administration was committed to uplifting the downtrodden from the shackles of poverty, adding that he would continue to invest in job creation, infrastructure development, and social services.
He also urged Nigerians to be patient with him, promising that the positive impacts of his policies would soon be felt.
“I’m standing for Mr. President, but please give me a little chance to also say, as his National Security Adviser, we do not talk much, but we act. You know that we haven’t been talking; we’ve been working. We work, we talk less. But I can assure you, we are on the right track. Nigeria is becoming stable. We are restoring order. You will feel it, you will see it—give us time.
“For the first time in Nigeria, we are confronting the evil of those who continue to take from the poor through subsidy deals, international traders, and oil marketers.
“For the first time, or at least in a long time, we are going to cut our coat according to our cloth and develop this economy, grow, and change things. It is happening,” Ribadu said.
Also speaking at the event, former Head of State, Abdulsalami Abubakar, traced insecurity, particularly in the North, to poverty, unemployment, institutional failures, and other factors.
He stated that these issues had created a fertile ground for insecurity to thrive, with devastating impacts on the country.
He, however, urged Nigerians not to lose faith in the fight against insecurity, emphasising that combating insecurity was the responsibility of every individual.
He also called on citizens to collaborate with the government and security agencies to address insecurity.
He said, “Permit me to note, however, that at the heart of the insecurity in this region, among other factors, are the undercurrents of poverty and unemployment, the proliferation of small arms and light weapons, weak governance and institutional failures, as well as climate change and environmental degradation.
“These factors have certainly created a fertile ground for insecurity to thrive, with devastating impacts on our dear nation. We must not, however, lose faith in our capacity to rise above the storms of insecurity, as this challenge is the responsibility of each and every Nigerian, and indeed, all Africans.
“Not only must we work together to find solutions to our country’s security challenges, but we also owe it to ourselves, our children, and future generations to create a safer and more prosperous nation. May peace reign in our region and the world at large.”
The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, said the country had been vulnerable to conflict due to its shared borders with several Sahelian countries.
He said, “Nigeria shares a long and porous border with several Sahelian countries caught up in conflict, making us vulnerable to the spillover effects of their conflicts. This not only threatens our security but also challenges our capacity to maintain effective control over our borders.”
Notwithstanding, the minister noted that the country was winning the war against insecurity.
He said, “We are winning the war against insecurity. Since the assumption of office 16 months ago, 12 aircraft have been acquired to boost the fighting capacity of our Armed Forces.”
The Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Christopher Musa, stated that the Sahel region had, over the last decade and a half, become synonymous with instability, violence, and insecurity.
He added that this ranges from the rise of insurgent groups such as Boko Haram and ISWAP to the spread of violent extremism, human trafficking, and illegal arms proliferation.
He noted that insecurity did not emerge in a vacuum and traced its roots to a combination of local and global factors, including poor governance, economic marginalisation, climate change, ethnic tensions, and the spillover effects of conflicts in North Africa and the broader Middle East.
He emphasised that the collapse of the Libyan state in 2011 further unleashed an influx of weapons and fighters, which catalyzed the rise of militant groups across the Sahel.
“Nigeria, as a critical player in the region, has borne a significant share of the fallout from this instability,” he said.
The CDS admitted that insurgency in the North-East, led by Boko Haram since 2009, has not only devastated communities but also stretched military resources, forced the displacement of millions, and undermined economic development.
He also highlighted that the porous nature of Nigeria’s borders with Sahelian countries has made it easier for transnational criminals, including smugglers, human traffickers, and arms dealers, to operate with impunity.
Also speaking, the Sultan of Sokoto, Sa’ad Abubakar, said that the deep-rooted environmental, political and security challenges were affecting the peace in the Sahel region.
Represented by the Emir of Gumi, retired Justice Lawal Hassan, the Sultan said the region was blessed with abundant human resources, offering tremendous potential for rapid economic growth.
He described the Sahel as the vast semi-arid region of Africa, separating the Sahara Desert to the North and tropical Savannah to the South, representing a land of opportunities and challenges.
“With its abundant mineral resources like lithium, cobalt and uranium among many others, the Sahel could be described as the richest part of the globe.
“It is expected to be populated by 1.5 billion people by the year 2050 and has one of the largest, youngest populations in the world.
“Although it has abundant human and natural resources that offer tremendous potential for rapid economic growth, there are deep-rooted challenges – environmental, political and security, that are affecting the prosperity and peace of the Sahel,” he said.
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