Abuja:President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has declared an uncompromising offensive against armed groups and their backers, warning that individuals who finance, harbour, or facilitate violent crimes will face the full weight of the law.
Presenting the ₦58.18 trillion 2026 Appropriation Bill to a joint session of the National Assembly, Tinubu signalled a tougher security doctrine that redefines all non‑state armed actors as terrorists, pledging “no mercy” for those who threaten Nigeria’s peace and stability.
He stressed that every naira allocated to defence in the 2026 budget must result in improved safety for Nigerians.
Tinubu made this known on Friday in Abuja while addressing lawmakers, emphasising that all armed groups would henceforth be treated as terrorists.
He stated that national security remained the foundation of development and noted that the 2026 budget would strengthen support for the modernisation of the Armed Forces, intelligence-driven policing, and joint security operations.
He explained that without adequate security and infrastructure, investment would not thrive, while education, productivity, jobs, and enterprise growth would also be constrained.
The president added that the budget prioritises border security, technology-enabled surveillance, and community-based peacebuilding and conflict prevention.
Tinubu promised sustained investment in security with clear accountability for outcomes, stressing that security spending must deliver measurable results.
According to him, priority would remain on increasing the fighting capability of the Armed Forces and other security agencies, with particular attention given to enhancing their effectiveness through the provision of cutting-edge equipment and other hardware.
“We will usher in a new era of criminal justice. We will show no mercy to those who commit or support acts of terrorism, banditry, kidnapping for ransom, and other violent crimes,” Tinubu said.
He further revealed that his administration is resetting the national security architecture and establishing a new national counterterrorism doctrine—a holistic redesign anchored in unified command, intelligence gathering, community stability, and counterinsurgency.
“Under this new architecture, any armed group or gun-wielding non-state actors operating outside state authority will be regarded as terrorists. Bandits, militias, armed gangs, armed robbers, violent cults, forest-based armed groups, and foreign-linked mercenaries will all be targeted.
“We will go after all those who perpetrate violence for political or sectarian ends, along with those who finance and facilitate their evil schemes,” he declared.