By Ayomide Otitoju
President Bola Tinubu has issued a stern warning to bandits, kidnappers, and sponsors of terrorism, declaring that those threatening Nigeria’s peace and security will face the full force of the law.
In his nationwide Democracy Day broadcast on Friday, the President said the window of surrender and repentance for criminal elements would not remain open indefinitely.
“To bandits, kidnappers, and sponsors of terror: surrender or face the full force of the Nigerian State,” Tinubu said.
“These windows of surrender will not remain open forever. No mercy will be shown to those who trade in the blood of Nigerians.”
Amid concerns over insecurity and its potential to deepen ethnic tensions, the President cautioned against politicising crime or linking criminality to any ethnic group, stressing that insecurity must be confronted collectively.
“At a time like this, let us not assign blame or point fingers. Crime has no ethnicity,” he said.
Tinubu urged Nigerians to remain united in the fight against insecurity, expressing confidence that the country would overcome its current challenges.
“We must stand united and be assured that the enemies of our nation shall soon be history,” he said. “We will triumph over terror and continue to build a more prosperous nation.”
He described the current moment as a defining period in Nigeria’s national journey, urging citizens to embrace their collective responsibility in shaping the country’s future.
“Every generation has a defining responsibility. The generation of our founding fathers secured independence, the generation of June 12 secured democracy. Our generation must secure prosperity,” the President said.
Tinubu also called for unity and national renewal, urging Nigerians to reject division, cynicism, and despair.
“Let us move forward together—rejecting division, cynicism, and despair; embracing unity, hope, and confidence,” he said, adding that the country must strive for “a Nigeria united by a common purpose, strengthened by diversity, where justice is accessible, liberty is secure, and opportunity is abundant.”
