President Bola Tinubu has issued a stern ultimatum to bandits, kidnappers, and sponsors of terror, ordering them to surrender to authorities or face the full force of the Nigerian state.
Speaking during his 2026 Democracy Day address marking June 12 on Friday, the President declared that the government would no longer tolerate violence against citizens and that the window for voluntary surrender would not remain open indefinitely.
โTo 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,โ Tinubu warned.
The President said his administration has intensified military operations against terrorist groups, including precision targeting backed by international partnerships.
Tinubu disclosed that over 13,000 terrorists had been neutralised in the past year alone. He added that more than 124,000 fighters and their dependents have surrendered since 2023 under Operation Safe Corridor.
While acknowledging that insecurity remains a national challenge, the President insisted his administration is making significant gains through sustained military pressure and expanded security investments.
He highlighted a declared security emergency and increased recruitment into the armed forces and police as key steps to strengthen national security.
Tinubu urged national unity in the fight against crime, warning against ethnic or political divisions in addressing insecurity.
The President maintained that Nigeria would continue to combine military action with rehabilitation and reintegration programmes for those willing to abandon violence. However, he stressed that criminals who refuse surrender would be decisively dealt with.
The Democracy Day address comes amid renewed attacks by bandits in the north-west and kidnappings along major highways.
