FG Commits Record N5.41tn to Security as Tinubu Intensifies War Against Terror
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has disclosed that the Federal Government has earmarked a record N5.41 trillion for defence and security in the 2026 budget, underscoring his administration’s determination to intensify the fight against terrorism, banditry, kidnapping and other security threats across the country.
The President made the disclosure on Friday in his Democracy Day address to the nation, describing security as a critical pillar of democratic governance and national development.
According to Tinubu, the unprecedented allocation reflects the government’s commitment to safeguarding lives and property while strengthening the capacity of security agencies to confront emerging threats.
”Our 2026 budget commits N5.41 trillion,bour largest ever, to defence and security. Our administration is ever ready to do much more to secure our people,” he said.
The President also revealed that the administration had approved the recruitment of more than 50,000 new police officers and thousands of military personnel as part of efforts to reinforce the country’s security architecture.
Tinubu said the decision followed the declaration of a security emergency aimed at addressing persistent threats posed by terrorists, bandits and kidnappers in different parts of the country.
Highlighting recent gains in the counter-terrorism campaign, the President said Nigerian security forces have moved beyond routine training exercises with international partners to more sophisticated and intelligence-driven operations.
He noted that military operations had successfully degraded the command structure of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), including a major operation targeting the group’s command centre in Arege, Borno State.
According to Tinubu, terror-related deaths in Nigeria have declined by 81 per cent since 2015, while more than 13,000 terrorists were neutralised within the past year.
The President further disclosed that over 124,000 fighters and their dependants had surrendered since 2023 under the Federal Government’s Operation Safe Corridor de-radicalisation and reintegration programme.
While reaffirming the government’s willingness to accept the surrender of repentant insurgents, Tinubu issued a stern warning to terrorists, bandits, kidnappers and their sponsors.
”To 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,” he declared.
”No mercy will be shown to those who trade in the blood of Nigerians.”
The President stressed that security remains indispensable to democratic stability and economic prosperity, noting that no nation can achieve sustainable development without ensuring the safety of its citizens.
He also referenced the recent abduction of schoolchildren in Oyo and Borno states, describing the incidents as painful reminders of the security challenges that still confront 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. Democracy without security is not solid enough,” he said.
Tinubu called on Nigerians to remain united in the fight against insecurity, insisting that criminality should not be viewed through ethnic, religious or regional lenses.
”Crime has no ethnicity. We must stand united and be assured that the enemies of our nation shall soon be history,” the President said.
He expressed confidence that ongoing military operations, increased security funding and enhanced collaboration among security agencies would further degrade terrorist networks and restore lasting peace across the country.
The N5.41 trillion allocation represents the largest security spending commitment in Nigeria’s history and signals the administration’s resolve to make security a central component of its Renewed Hope Agenda.