(DDM) – President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Friday reaffirmed his commitment to tackling insecurity across Nigeria and strengthening national security structures.
He made the promise during a memorial event held in honour of the late former governor of Kogi State, whose legacy he said must be matched with renewed dedication to protecting lives and restoring hope.
DDM correspondent reported that Tinubu described the memorial as a fitting moment not just to pay tribute, but also to reflect on the pressing challenges confronting the nation, above all, the deepening insecurity that has sown fear across communities.
He said the federal government will spare no effort to safeguard citizens, restore public confidence, and revive economic stability, even as the memory of the late governor inspires renewed purpose.
He emphasised that insecurity remains among the gravest threats to national unity and economic prospects. He urged citizens to stay vigilant and support security agencies, while promising institutional reforms, improved resource allocation, and deployment of security personnel where most needed.
He called for collaborative efforts among the government, security agencies, state governments, and local communities to root out violent criminality.
Tinubu’s remarks come amid a nationwide crackdown on insurgents, kidnappers, bandits, and other criminal networks.
In recent days, the president declared a national security emergency, announcing a sweeping plan to recruit thousands more police and military personnel, redeploy officers from VIP duties to frontline security tasks, and deploy forest guards to deny criminals remote hideouts.
Under the new security blueprint, the police are to recruit an additional 20,000 officers, raising the total intake to 50,000, while intelligence and forest security agencies have been directed to strengthen surveillance, especially in high-risk forest zones.
Tinubu also called on the National Assembly to consider amendments that would allow states to establish their own policing forces, a long‑standing but controversial reform proposal, arguing that localised policing can serve as a deterrent to crime and improve rapid response in security-challenged areas.
During the memorial in Kogi, the president further extended assurances of sustained support to state governments, including the current leadership in Kogi, pledging closer collaboration between the federal government and state administrations to achieve security and development. He described the late governor’s legacy as one of dedication to governance and public service, a standard that must inform current efforts to stabilise the country and revive the economy.
Security experts and community leaders have welcomed the renewed direction. They noted that boosting manpower for security agencies, alongside structural reforms such as state policing, could help fill long‑standing gaps in protecting remote and vulnerable communities. However, they cautioned that manpower alone would not suffice.
They urged meaningful reforms, intelligence‑led policing, community engagement, better welfare for security personnel, and tackling socio‑economic root causes of crime.
In Kogi State, the memorial event also served as a platform for unity and healing. Dignitaries, traditional and religious leaders, and community members gathered to honour the late governor’s memory.
Many recalled his contributions to state development and good governance, while expressing hope that the renewed national security drive will deliver on its promises. The state government, under current leadership, pledged cooperation with federal efforts to ensure safety and progress.
Observers say the timing of Tinubu’s pledge, coinciding with commemoration of a respected former governor, underscores a political as well as moral commitment: linking memory and legacy with urgent national priorities of security and development.
Whether the new measures will deliver lasting peace remains to be seen, but for many Nigerians, the renewed promise offers a glimmer of hope in troubled times.
Nigeria has for years grappled with complex security challenges: insurgency by extremist groups, banditry, kidnapping, communal clashes, and organised crime. These threats have often taken root in remote, poorly policed areas, especially forests, border zones, and rural communities.
Previous administrations made numerous efforts, but critics argue that lack of capacity, corruption, overlapping jurisdictions, and weak community-state coordination undermined progress.
Under Tinubu’s current administration, there have been repeated calls for structural reforms.
In September 2025, the president signalled support for the creation of state police, a decentralised model that many analysts believe could improve accountability and responsiveness at the grassroots.
Moreover, Tinubu’s “Renewed Hope Agenda,” launched since taking office, pledged to confront not just insecurity but also economic instability, corruption, and governance deficits.
The administration claims progress in stabilising the economy, improving the investment climate, strengthening institutions, and ensuring better welfare for citizens.
Still, the scale and complexity of Nigeria’s security crisis, involving multiple armed groups, diffuse criminal networks, and underlying socio-economic grievances, means that success will require sustained political will, adequate resources, reforms, community participation, and transparent implementation.
By linking his security pledge to the memorial of a former state leader, Tinubu appears to be making a symbolic statement that honouring the past must come with renewed commitment to national resilience, unity, and peace. Only time will tell if that symbolic gesture will translate into transformative action.