President Bola Tinubu has declared that Nigeria will overcome terrorism and banditry, describing these security threats as “unacceptable” and foreign to the nation’s core values.
The Special Adviser to Mr Tinubu on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, disclosed this in a statement on Monday.
According to the statement, Mr Tinubu assured Nigerians of his administration’s resolve to strengthen the country’s security forces and restore peace across affected communities, while declaring open the second National Economic Council (NEC) Conference at the State House Conference Centre in Abuja on Monday.
“I promise you here that I’ll play my part. Seven zones of mechanisation are coming. I promise Nigerians that this will be delivered, and I am here again to further find ways to strengthen our security forces and defeat terrorism.
“That, I promise you, is what has kept all of us sleepless at night, but I assure you we will win with determination and resilience. We will overcome this unacceptable terrorism and banditry. It’s not part of our culture. It’s foreign to us,” he said.
Mr Tinubu described insecurity as an economic hindrance, stressing that all hands must be on deck to find an immediate solution.
He commended the governors of Borno, Katsina and Kaduna states, as well as others, for doing “so much to defend our freedom, liberty and our commonwealth,” he added.
Nigeria has grappled with insecurity for over a decade, evolving from militancy in the Niger Delta to insurgency in the North-east, and more recently, banditry and kidnapping in other northern regions.
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The crisis has been misrepresented as primarily a religious conflict, sparking controversy and threats from United States President Donald Trump.
Last October, Mr Trump declared Nigeria a ‘Country of Particular Concern’ over allegations of Christian genocide. Days later, he described Nigeria as a “disgraceful” country and threatened to take military action should the government continue to “allow killing of Christians.”
Although the country has repeatedly denied the allegations, Mr Trump insisted on them, warning that US military action against Nigeria would be “fast, vicious, and sweet.”
On 25 December 2025, the United States Africa Command (AFRICOM) launched missile strikes in Sokoto State, northwest Nigeria, targeting what it described as Islamic State terrorists.
However, Mr Trump framed the strikes as an attempt to stop the (debunked) ‘Christian genocide’ taking place in the country.
