Tinubu to Terrorists: Surrender or Face the State, Backs LG Autonomy to Tackle Insecurity

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has issued a direct warning to terrorists to surrender or face the full force of the state, as he defended his administration’s security record and pushed for local government autonomy to tackle insecurity at the grassroots.

Speaking during his Democracy Day address on Thursday, the President said his administration remains committed to restoring peace across the country through a combination of military operations, intelligence-led interventions and governance reforms aimed at strengthening local communities.

Tinubu disclosed that terror-related deaths have declined by 81 per cent since 2015, while more than 13,000 terrorists were neutralised in the past year through sustained security operations.

He also revealed that over 124,000 insurgents and their dependants have surrendered under the Federal Government’s Operation Safe Corridor programme since 2023.

According to the President, Nigeria’s security agencies have intensified offensive operations against criminal groups, moving beyond routine military engagements to more precise and intelligence-driven strikes against terrorist enclaves.

Highlighting recent military successes, Tinubu pointed to operations in the North-East, including actions targeting terrorist command structures in Borno State.

Despite the reported gains, the President acknowledged that insecurity remains one of the country’s most pressing challenges, particularly in the wake of recent kidnappings involving schoolchildren in Oyo and Borno states.

He described the incidents as painful reminders that more work remains to be done in securing lives and property across the federation.

“Democracy without security is not solid enough,” Tinubu said, stressing that his administration would continue investing heavily in the nation’s security architecture.

As part of efforts to strengthen security institutions, the President disclosed that the Federal Government has approved the recruitment of more than 50,000 additional police officers, alongside thousands of military recruits.

He also noted that the 2026 budget contains a record N5.41 trillion allocation to defence and security, which he described as the largest security expenditure in Nigeria’s history.

The President reiterated that while the government remains open to rehabilitation and reintegration for repentant insurgents, there would be no compromise in dealing with those who continue to threaten national peace.

“To bandits, kidnappers and sponsors of terror: surrender or face the full force of the Nigerian State,” he declared.

Links Insecurity to Weak Grassroots Governance

Beyond military measures, Tinubu argued that Nigeria’s security challenges are closely connected to the weakening of governance structures at the grassroots level.

The President renewed his call for financial autonomy for the country’s 774 local government councils, insisting that effective local administration is critical to addressing insecurity and accelerating development.

According to him, the decline of local government institutions has contributed significantly to governance gaps that criminal elements often exploit.

“A fundamental challenge to our nation’s advancement has been ineffective local government administration. The insecurity we are addressing is partly due to the collapse of grassroots governance,” he said.

Tinubu maintained that empowering local governments with greater financial independence would improve service delivery, strengthen community engagement and enhance security coordination at the local level.

He said the Renewed Hope Agenda seeks to ensure that governance reaches every community and that the benefits of development are felt beyond state capitals.

The President stressed that restoring confidence in local governance remains essential to building safer communities and achieving sustainable national development.

As Nigeria marks 27 years of uninterrupted democratic rule, Tinubu urged citizens to remain united against forces seeking to undermine national stability, expressing confidence that the country would ultimately overcome its security challenges through collective effort, stronger institutions and responsible leadership.