Democracy Day: Tinubu Warns Terrorists To Surrender Or Face ‘Full Force’ Of Nigerian State, Mentions Oyo, Borno Kidnappings But Silent On Abduction Of 174 Women, Children In Kwara

Abuja, Nigeria– President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has declared that “democracy without security is a mirage,” warning bandits, kidnappers and sponsors of terrorism to surrender or face the “full force of the Nigerian State,” even as he failed to address the abduction of 174 women and children kidnapped from Woro community in Kaiama Local Government Area of Kwara State.

Speaking during his Democracy Day address on Friday, Tinubu expressed concern over recent abductions in Oyo and Borno states and said the government remained hopeful that the victims would be rescued safely.

The President, however, made no reference to the mass abduction of 174 women and children from Woro in Kwara State, an incident that sparked outrage and renewed concerns over insecurity in parts of the country.

“Though this year’s mood is dampened by the abduction of our children in Oyo and Borno, we remain hopeful for their safe return,” Tinubu said.

“Democracy without security is a mirage. That is why this administration declared a security emergency and approved the recruitment of more than 50,000 new police officers and thousands of military recruits. Our 2026 budget commits N5.41 trillion—our largest ever—to defence and security. Our administration is ever ready to do much more to secure our people.”

The President said his administration had intensified military operations against insurgents and terrorist groups, moving beyond joint training exercises with foreign allies to what he described as precision military strikes.

“We have moved from training with our allies, the United States, France and other European countries, to precision targeting,” he said.

“In Arege, Borno State, we degraded ISWAP’s command centre. Terror-related deaths are down by 81% since 2015. Over 13,000 terrorists have been neutralised in the past year.”

Tinubu also highlighted the government’s deradicalisation and reintegration efforts under Operation Safe Corridor, saying thousands of insurgents and their family members had surrendered.

“But we also keep the door of surrender open. Over 124,000 fighters and dependents have laid down their arms since 2023 through Operation Safe Corridor,” he stated.

Issuing a direct warning to criminal groups operating across the country, the President said the government would no longer tolerate acts of terror and violence against Nigerians.

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

“These windows of surrender will not remain open forever. No mercy will be shown to those who trade in the blood of Nigerians.”

The President further urged Nigerians not to politicise the security crisis or attribute criminality to any ethnic group, insisting that national unity remained critical in the fight against insecurity.

“At a time like this, let us not assign blame or point fingers. Crime has no ethnicity,” he said.

“We must stand united and be assured that the enemies of our nation shall soon be history. We will triumph over terror and continue to build a more prosperous nation.”

Tinubu’s remarks come amid growing concerns over persistent kidnappings, banditry and terrorist attacks across several parts of Nigeria despite repeated assurances from government officials that security conditions are improving.

His failure to mention the recent abduction of 174 women and children from Woro community in Kaiama Local Government Area of Kwara State has also raised questions about the federal government’s response to the incident, particularly as the President specifically referenced kidnappings in Oyo and Borno states during his Democracy Day speech.

The Woro abduction is among the latest large-scale kidnapping incidents recorded in the country and has further created fears among residents of rural communities who continue to face attacks from armed groups.