27th November, 2025
President Bola Tinubu has declared a nationwide security emergency, authorizing massive expansion of security forces as violent kidnappings continue to ravage multiple states across Nigeria. However, the announcement has sparked fierce criticism from federal legislators who accused the administration of secretly engaging with criminal groups.
On Wednesday, the President directed security agencies to embark on unprecedented recruitment drives. The Nigeria Police Force received approval to recruit an additional 20,000 officers, bringing total ongoing recruitment to 50,000. The military and Department of State Services also got authorization to expand their personnel strength significantly.
Tinubu ordered the temporary conversion of National Youth Service Corps camps nationwide into police training facilities. He further directed that officers withdrawn from VIP protection duties be retrained and redeployed to high-risk zones. The Department of State Services received authority to activate forest guards to flush out terrorists from their hideouts.
“There will be no more hiding places for agents of evil,” the President stated, calling on citizens to report suspicious activities and cooperate with security agencies.
The security measures follow a devastating week that saw over 300 people, predominantly schoolchildren, kidnapped across Kebbi, Niger, and Kwara States. The abductions forced state governments in northern Nigeria to shut down schools, while the Federal Government closed 41 Unity Colleges nationwide.
Despite these emergency interventions, members of the Senate and House of Representatives launched scathing attacks on the administration’s handling of the crisis. Lawmakers expressed anger over revelations that security agencies had opened communication channels with kidnappers.
During Senate proceedings, Senator Adams Oshiomhole of Edo Central demanded accountability for the withdrawal of troops from Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School in Maga, Kebbi State, hours before bandits abducted 24 students. “Who ordered the military to withdraw? That person should be tried for terrorism,” the former Edo State Governor stated.
Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin called for international military assistance, while Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele described the security situation as representing a defining moment for Nigeria. Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe criticized the administration for blaming previous governments instead of taking responsibility.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio urged Nigerians to rally behind the President, stating that the attacks were orchestrated to damage democracy. The Senate dissolved its Committees on National Security and Intelligence as well as the Navy Committee, directing other security-related committees to brief senators in closed sessions.
A coalition of lawmakers operating under the banner “House to the Rescue” issued a strongly worded statement condemning what they termed the government’s abdication of responsibility. The multi-party group accused the administration of legitimizing criminality through back-channel negotiations.
“No functioning nation rewards criminality with dialogue,” the coalition declared. The lawmakers cited international examples where negotiating with violent groups failed disastrously, including Colombia, Mexico, Afghanistan, Somalia, and Mali.
The House coalition warned that negotiations embolden kidnappers, create dangerous precedents, and erode public trust in security institutions. They described the approach as creating a business model where criminals abduct citizens and wait for government representatives to negotiate instead of facing law enforcement action.
The legislators demanded immediate cessation of all talks with bandits, intelligence-driven operations to rescue victims, and publication of a clear national security strategy with accountability mechanisms. They also called for full National Assembly oversight of officials involved in unauthorized negotiations with criminal groups.
The statement from House to the Rescue was jointly signed by representatives from all six geopolitical zones: Muhammed Musa Soba (North West), Zakari Mohammed (North Central), Olasupo Abiodun (South West), Sadiq Ibrahim (North East), Uko Nkole (South East), and Bassey Eko Ewa (South South).
The African Democratic Congress also criticized the administration, with National Publicity Secretary Bolaji Abdullahi warning that secret deals with bandits could worsen the security crisis. The party called for revival of the Safe Schools Initiative and deployment of Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps personnel to unity schools.
President Tinubu’s statement also included a call for the National Assembly to review laws enabling states to establish their own police forces. The President emphasized that the administration has the resolve to keep Nigeria safe, warning that restraint should not be mistaken for weakness.
The security emergency declaration represents one of the most significant responses to Nigeria’s worsening insecurity, but the rift between the executive and legislature signals deep concerns about the government’s strategy for tackling banditry and terrorism.