Insecurity: Tinubu Pushes for State Police, Hails Civilian JTF
Insecurity: Tinubu Pushes for State Police, Hails Civilian JTF
•Badaru says terrorists exploiting porous borders to wreak havoc in West Africa
•ov Lawal: With control over security agencies, I can end banditry in two months
•North-east governors canvass resumption of oil exploration
•President to inaugurate 6,000MT lithium plant in Nasarawa
Deji Elumoye, Chuks Okocha, Linus Aleke and Folalumi Alaran in Abuja
President Bola Tinubu yesterday reviewed the security situation in the North-east geo-political zone, saying the efforts of the civilian Joint Task Force (JTF) in curbing insecurity in the region had further reinforced his belief in the creation of state police.
This is coming on the heels of the Northern Elders Forum (NEF) call on the President to declare a state of emergency in Northern Nigeria, citing the ‘extraordinary’ scale of insecurity and the government’s constitutional and international obligations to protect lives.
In the same vein, Governor Dauda Lawal of Zamfara state has said that banditry would become history in his state in just two months if he had control over federal security outfits, stressing that he is aware of the movements of every bandit kingpin operating in the state.
Tinubu also commended the resilience and collaboration of governors in the North-east zone, noting that despite daunting security and developmental challenges, the region has recorded remarkable progress in stabilisation, resettlement, and social services.
“I have looked more carefully at the security situation. I see the efforts of civilian JTF and communities. This has again provoked my thinking on state police. We can work with the National Assembly to design a framework that guarantees local ownership while ensuring political neutrality,” the President declared.
Speaking while receiving members of the North-east Governors’ Forum led by Borno State Governor, Prof. Babagana Zulum, at the State House, Abuja, Tinubu said his administration had, in just two years, turned the economy around, supported resettlement of displaced persons, and prioritised infrastructure, health, and education.
“Our history since we came into office has been about facing challenges with determination. We campaigned, convinced Nigerians, and won elections. Ever since, we have confronted the realities of governance.
“Together, we can beat our chest that the economy has turned around and displaced citizens are returning to their homes under roofs provided by resettlement and housing programmes,” he said.
Particularly, the President lauded Yobe State for producing outstanding students despite disruptions and praised regional efforts in security, housing, and agriculture and also assured the governors of continued federal government’s support to consolidate the gains already made.
On food security, Tinubu highlighted his administration’s push for mechanisation saying that the nation is currently driving towards food sovereignty.
“Soon, each zone of Nigeria will have a training and maintenance centre for mechanised agriculture. This is the path to achieving food security,” he noted.
Besides, he stressed that despite distractions from early political manoeuvres, he remains “laser-focused” on governance and on delivering dividends of democracy.
NEF urges Tinubu to declare state of emergency in North
The Northern Elders Forum (NEF) has called on President Bola Tinubu to declare a state of emergency in Northern Nigeria, citing the ‘extraordinary’ scale of insecurity and the government’s constitutional and international obligations to protect lives.
The forum lamented that state security agencies remain overstretched, under-resourced, and in some cases complicit through inaction, leaving citizens vulnerable while eroding public trust in government.
In a communiqué signed by the spokesperson of NEF, Prof. Abubakar Jiddere, the forum expressed grave concern over the spate of violent attacks, abductions and killings across the region, warning that continued inaction could threaten Nigeria’s stability and regional peace.
The NEF recalled the August 19 attack on a mosque in Unguwan Mantau village, where armed assailants killed at least 27 worshippers during early morning prayers, leaving several injured and displacing hundreds
The prolonged insecurity in Northern Nigeria remains one of the country’s most pressing challenges, marked by a mix of violent extremism, banditry, communal clashes, and farmer-herder conflicts.
“In light of the above disturbing concerns, the Northern Elders Forum calls upon the Federal Government of Nigeria to urgently fulfill its constitutional responsibilities and international obligations by: Declaring a State of Emergency in Northern Nigeria, acknowledging the extraordinary scale of the crisis,” the communiqué stated.
Over the past decade, the region has been destabilised by the Boko Haram insurgency and its splinter group, the Islamic State in West Africa Province (ISWAP), which continue to stage attacks, particularly in Borno, Yobe, and Adamawa states.
Beyond insurgency, large parts of the North-west and North-central zones face widespread banditry, with armed groups engaging in mass abductions, cattle rustling, and attacks on rural communities, creating a humanitarian crisis and displacing thousands.
Despite government efforts, including military operations, peace dialogues, and security collaborations with neighbouring countries, progress has been uneven. The insecurity continues to undermine economic activity, discourage investment, disrupt education, and weaken social cohesion across the North.
Besides, NEF, in the statement, condemned the execution of 35 abductees in Zamfara State despite ransom payments, as well as two separate attacks in Kaduna State’s Kauru and Kudan LGAs, which left eight dead and eight others severely injured.
NEF said: “These incidents are not isolated cases, rather they are part of a persistent pattern of organised criminal violence and banditry that have claimed thousands of lives, displaced hundreds of thousands of citizens, undermined food security, economic cripple activity, and
Inflicted deep psychological and social trauma on individuals and several communities.
“The NEF observes with deep regret that the state security architecture remains inadequate, overstretched, and in some cases complicit through inaction and silence, leaving citizens vulnerable and helpless while eroding public trust in government institutions.”
Citing the 1999 Constitution, the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, NEF argued that Article 6 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), states that the inherent right to life shall be protected by law, and no one shall arbitrarily be deprived of life.
“The recurring atrocities in Northern Nigeria constitute serious breaches of these obligations, and in their scale and persistence, will amount to crimes against humanity under international law and humanitarian cases,” it added.
As part of its demands, the forum urged the federal government to deploy adequately trained, armed, and equipped security forces with clear rules of engagement to protect civilian populations and secure international border regions.
In addition, it urged the government to: “Provide adequate compensation, rehabilitation, and humanitarian assistance to victims including displaced persons, in line with international humanitarian standards.
“Strengthen border control and regional cooperation with neighbouring states under ECOWAS and the African Union protocols, to stem cross-border incursions by armed criminal groups and “Engage international partners, including the African Union (AU) and United Nations (UN), for technical and humanitarian support.”
The NEF emphasised that continued inaction or insufficient responses to all the security challenges will not only exacerbate human suffering, but also jeopardise national cohesion, democratic sustainability, stability of the polity, and regional peace.
The elders forum called on the government to act immediately, decisively, transparently and in full alignment with Nigeria’s domestic and international obligations, pledging to continue monitoring developments while engaging stakeholders nationally and internationally to ensure urgent relief for affected Northern communities.
Badaru says terrorists exploiting porous borders to wreak havoc
Still on insecurity in the North, the Minister of Defence, Abubakar Badaru, yesterday said that terrorists were exploiting porous borders, weak governance, and deep socio-economic disparities to wreak havoc in West Africa and the Sahel region, stating that modern-day terrorism has assumed a more complex and dangerous character.
Declaring open the Regional Conference on “Combating Emerging Terrorist Groups and Strengthening Sustainable Security in the ECOWAS Region and the Sahel” – organised by the National Counter Terrorism Centre, Office of the National Security Adviser (NCTC-ONSA) in collaboration with the ECOWAS Commission, the minister also noted that terrorism has become one of the greatest threats to peace and stability in West Africa and the Sahel.
He stressed that terrorism takes root in communities where grievances are left unaddressed and spreads through ungoverned spaces where institutions are absent.
While acknowledging that these realities are stark, the minister emphasised that they do not define the region’s destiny. Rather, he stated that they are challenges that governments must confront collectively with determination, innovation, and solidarity.
He said: “We are dealing with adversaries who are adaptive, highly networked, and increasingly sophisticated in their methods. Their collaboration with international terrorist organisations has created a web of instability that stretches across borders. They exploit encrypted communication platforms, deploy unmanned aerial systems, and radicalise vulnerable youth online.
“This evolution underscores the urgency of our meeting today. Terrorism, insurgency, and insecurity are not abstract threats – they are existential challenges that endanger our people, our economies, and our shared future.
“This conference is therefore more than an opportunity for dialogue; it is a call to action. We are gathered here to forge consensus, mobilise resources, and design strategies that are both proactive and region-specific. The future stability of ECOWAS and the Sahel will depend on the decisions we take here – and the commitments we follow through afterwards.”
Proferring workable solutions, the minister said the operationalisation of the ECOWAS Standby Force must be pursued with renewed vigour.
He added: “Harmonisation of legal frameworks across member states will ensure that terrorists and their support networks find no safe haven. The creation of a regional counterterrorism task force, fully trained and equipped for rapid deployment, is an initiative we must embrace.
“At the same time, capacity building is essential. Our forces require not only modern equipment but also advanced training to meet the evolving challenges of counterterrorism. Thirdly, we must address the root causes of radicalisation. Military force is necessary but not sufficient.
“Poverty, unemployment, exclusion, and poor governance provide fertile ground for extremist ideologies. Investing in education, strengthening community resilience, and ensuring good governance are equally critical to our long-term security. Winning the hearts and minds of our populations will deny extremist groups the local support they seek to exploit.”
In his welcome address, the National Coordinator of the NCTC, Maj. Gen. Adamu Laka, stressed that these groups are not only multiplying but also exploiting digital spaces and new technologies to fight, radicalise, and recruit—especially among the youth.
This evolving threat, Laka said, demands that the region match their adaptability with resilience, innovation, and stronger collaboration across borders.
Noting that sustainable security is not solely about military action but about winning hearts and minds, restoring trust in governance, and investing in human development, Laka stated that it is in this spirit that Nigeria established the NCTC under the Office of the National Security Adviser, to coordinate the country’s counterterrorism efforts.
Gov Lawal: I can end banditry in two months with control over security agencies
Besides, Governor Dauda Lawal of Zamfara state has said that banditry would become history in his state in just two months if he had control over the security outfits in the country, stressing that he is aware of the movements of every bandit kingpin operating in the state.
In a viral video clip, the governor explained that his major constraint in the ongoing fight against banditry is the lack of direct control over security agencies.
He emphasised that the security chiefs in the state only take orders from Abuja, lamenting that although the state has dozens of tracking facilities which it has fixed across the state just to help security in tracking the bandits, it still has limitations.
“I swear to Almighty Allah, wherever a bandits’ leader is located within Zamfara state, I know it and if he goes out, I know. With my mobile phone, I can show you where and where these bandits are today. But we cannot do anything beyond our powers.
“If today, I have the power to give orders to the security agencies, I can assure you, we will end banditry in Zamfara state within two months. Most of the time, I shed tears for my people because I can see a problem but because I don’t have control over the security agencies, I cannot order the security operatives to act in time.
“There was a time, the bandits invaded Shinkafi local government and I was sitting here when the security operatives were alerted but they refused to go to Shinkafi simply because they were not given orders from Abuja. This is the problem we are facing but we trust God and surely, He will come to our rescue,” he added.
The governor lamented that despite these challenges, the state government has continued to support security agencies with logistics and running costs, adding that records are available for anyone who wishes to verify.
He further recalled that about two months ago, the Zamfara state government distributed 150 patrol vehicles to the security agencies including police, army, the Department of State Service (DSS) and civil defence with a view to helping them improve in doing their jobs.
The governor added that apart from the thousands of personnel recruited as Community Protection Guards (CPG), his administration had also hired over 2,000 local hunters from Borno and Yobe and brought them into Zamfara to complement the conventional security operatives fighting banditry in the state.
“I am doing all these despite the fact that I have no control over the security agencies. But because it’s my responsibility to protect the lives and properties of the people of Zamfara as the chief security officer of the state.
“I have said it on several occasions that if the bandits are fighting because they lack some basic needs, I will provide them with whatever they lack; if they are lacking water I will provide them with water, if they are lacking schools, I will build schools for them just to have peace in the state,” he said.
He said that despite the challenges his administration faces in tackling banditry, he would not relent in his efforts to end the menace, while appealing to the people of the state to be patient as the government continues to do all it can to address the problem.
He further lamented that the major problem was the politicisation of the banditry issue in Zamfara State by certain individuals.
“I want to remind those undermining our efforts in the fight against banditry that their actions are destroying the state, not Dauda Lawal as governor,” he stated.
Lawal recalled that during the just concluded bye-election, a large number of soldiers and other security personnel were deployed to the state with all sorts of war equipment to cover an election that took place in six wards.
Banditry: El-Rufai can’t disown APC, declares Baba-Ahmed
Similarly, the vice presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 general election, Datti Baba-Ahmed, has faulted former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, over his recent allegation that the government is paying bandits, claiming that the former minister cannot absolve himself from the blame.
Baba-Ahmed, who spoke during a television programme monitored by THISDAY, accused the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of using insecurity as a political tool.
“El-Rufai cannot run away because he is part of it. My grudge with Nasir’s statement is that he was part and parcel of the APC from 2013. Like he told you, he was one of the architects of it all. All of a sudden, he has come to absolve himself. No. Nasir is part and parcel of all that has been going on. We suffered, we are victims of Nasir’s misrule in Zaria,” he alleged.
Baba-Ahmed alleged that insecurity had been “politicised and orchestrated” by the ruling APC.
“I am in so much pain, believe me. Nigeria should be a great country, yet we have people destroying us by the hour. Insecurity has been part of APC’s game, and Nasir is saying it.
“I think he is right, the government has been paying them. Insecurity has been the APC’s way of staying in power. That is my candid, firm opinion, strengthened by the kind of unfortunate comments like that of Nasir,” he said.
He also criticised the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) for dismissing El-Rufai’s remarks.
“The reaction of ONSA is not disputing what Nasir has said. Nasir should be writing some comments and statements by now. If the Office of the National Security Adviser will take this statement with levity, then Nuhu Ribadu was never a policeman. Nasir should be writing to the police, to the court. If the position of the government is to be paying bandits, then we don’t have a nation,” Baba-Ahmed added.
El-Rufai had sparked controversy when he alleged recently that both the federal government and Kaduna State Government were worsening insecurity by empowering bandits.
UN: 1,364 children recruited by armed groups in W/Africa in 2024
Meanwhile, the United Nations (UN) has said that no fewer than 1,364 children were recruited by armed groups in 2024 across six countries in West Africa. The global body also revealed that there were 466 cases of sexual violence and 14,364 school closures in the region due to insecurity within the period under review.
UN Under-Secretary-General and Special Representative of the Secretary-General for West Africa and the Sahel, Leonardo Santos Simão, made this revelation while delivering a keynote address at the Regional Conference on Combating Emerging Terrorist Groups and Strengthening Sustainable Security in the ECOWAS Region and the Sahel.
Simão, who stressed that West Africa and the Sahel have become the epicentre of global terrorism, regretted that these numbers represent stolen futures, fractured communities, and deepening fragility.
He said: “The global terrorism landscape is shifting at an alarming rate. According to the 2025 Global Terrorism Index, West Africa and the Sahel accounted for most of the fatalities in 2024—an increase from the previous year. Among the 10 countries most impacted by terrorism globally, five are in our region. The increase is not only in the number of attacks and victims, but also in sophistication, as groups forge alliances and expand their operational reach.
“Terrorist activities are also spreading into sensitive border zones, such as the Tambacounda region between Mali, Senegal, Guinea, and Mauritania, and into protected areas like Park W, Arly, and Pendjari, which straddle Benin, Burkina Faso, and Niger. These incursions threaten livelihoods, biodiversity, and eco-tourism—proving that no space is beyond the reach of violent extremism.
“We cannot ignore the impact of political tensions between neighbouring states in the region. These disputes undermine governance, erode cooperation, and create security gaps that terrorist and criminal networks exploit. Meanwhile, climate change continues to act as a threat multiplier—driving displacement, intensifying resource conflicts between farmers and herders, and forcing entire communities into precarious livelihoods.”
Terrorist groups, he said, exploit these vulnerabilities, embedding themselves in marginalised communities and using local grievances as recruitment tools.
In this context, the UN commended ECOWAS for its recent successful demarche with the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) to preserve the free movement of goods and people.
“This achievement shows that dialogue can still prevail, even amid profound political and security crises. The cooperation between ECOWAS and the African Union in counter-terrorism is showing positive developments, with the recent initiative to establish a Joint Threat Fusion and Analysis Cell to coordinate information and intelligence sharing between states,” he said.
He highlighted that terrorist organisations have shown a troubling ability to adapt—exploiting ungoverned spaces, inflaming community grievances, and employing advanced technologies such as drones, encrypted communications, and cyber tools to execute strikes with greater precision and heightened psychological impact.
The Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security at the ECOWAS Commission, Ambassador Abdel-Fatau Musah, represented by Dr Cyriaque Pawoumotom Agnekethom, said that fighting terrorism remains one of ECOWAS’s top priorities in achieving collective security as a foundation for regional stability, prosperity, and deeper integration.
“As a region and a continent, we must continually intercept and suffocate the supply chains on which terrorist networks thrive—such as weapons and ammunition, fuel for their vehicles, the illicit flow of funds through conventional and non-conventional platforms, drugs, and the control of dual-use items like fertilisers and batteries used to fabricate Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) and other accessories,” he stated.
The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Gen. Christopher Musa, stated that the activities of terrorists—ranging from kidnappings and banditry to transnational trafficking and violent radicalisation—pose direct threats to individual states and to the security and stability of West Africa and the Sahel as a whole.
For Nigeria, he said, the Armed Forces have been at the forefront of confronting these threats.
Represented by the Chief of Defence Operations, Maj. Gen. Emeka Onumajuru, the CDS revealed that from sustained counterterrorism and counterinsurgency operations in the North-East, to combating banditry in the North-West and violent extremism in the North-Central, Nigerian troops continue to make sacrifices to safeguard lives and preserve stability.
North-east governors canvass resumption of oil exploration
Earlier, during the meeting Tinubu Speaking on behalf of his colleagues, Borno Governor, Zulum , thanked the President for sustaining the fight against insurgency and supporting environmental mitigation in the region.
He outlined priority demands, including sustained military operations in the Lake Chad basin, funding for the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF), completion of critical road projects, and renewed oil exploration in Kolmani and Lake Chad.
He said: “The region having suffered so much environmental and developmental setbacks arising from long periods of neglect and abandonment, we wish to leverage on Mr. President’s renewed hope agenda to reverse these ugly trends by giving special attention to us in the following areas.
“Resumption of oil exploration in the frontier wells in particular Kolmani and Lake Chad wells; continued military operations in the shores of the Lake Chad, Dajin Madama, Mandara Hills, Sambisa Game Reserve, Mansur, Yelwa, Futuk, Kolmani areas, Karin Lamido Forest among others and provision of funding to MNJTF for military operation in the Tumbus of the Lake Chad.”
The Borno governor also pledged the support of North-east governors to the President in his bid to provide good governance in the country.
He said: “The North-east governors hold you in high esteem and all of us have resolved to partner with you in your determination to provide good governance for Nigeria with a view to leaving behind lasting legacies and landmarks for the country.”
President to inaugurate 6,000MT lithium plant in Nasarawa
Also, Tinubu will visit Nasarawa State later this month to inaugurate a newly completed 6,000-metric-ton lithium processing plant, in what government officials described as another milestone in Nigeria’s push to curb raw mineral exports and expand domestic value-addition, it was learnt yesterday.
Governor Abdullahi Sule, who disclosed this to reporters on Wednesday evening after a closed-door meeting with the President at the State House, Abuja, said the new plant, located in Nasarawa Local Government Area, was built by Chinese investors and is twice the size of the 3,000MT facility launched in the state in 2023.
Sule explained that the President promised to perform the inauguration immediately after returning from his upcoming visit to France.
He said: “They said they were going to build a bigger one…they have just concluded building it, and it is ready for commissioning. Mr. President promised that on his return from his short vacation, he’s going to come to Nasarawa to commission the project”.
The Nasarawa plant, he said, is one of several Chinese-backed projects springing up across the state after exploratory surveys confirmed commercial-grade lithium deposits.
The federal government had in recent years adopted beneficiation policies to ban unprocessed lithium exports and encourage investors to set up in-country processing hubs, following examples in Indonesia’s nickel and Zimbabwe’s lithium sectors.
Sule noted that the investors were drawn by the sheer quality and scale of deposits in Nasarawa, describing the plant as a step toward positioning Nigeria as a regional hub for lithium-ion battery and solar panel manufacturing.
“Because of how excited they were with the quality of lithium and the commercial deposit they noticed, they fulfilled their promise to build something bigger,” he added.
Sule also linked the investment flow to reforms implemented under Tinubu’s administration, including the removal of petrol subsidy and the unification of the naira’s exchange rate, which he said had boosted states’ revenues.
“Instead of borrowing from the banks, we are now utilising the improved resources that we have,” the governor said, adding that infrastructure expansion in Nasarawa is benefitting directly from federal fiscal reforms.
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