Amid rising attacks and abductions by gunmen and suspected terrorists, President Bola Tinubu on Wednesday declared a nationwide security emergency.
Tinubu also ordered additional recruitment into the Nigerian Armed Forces and the police force.
“Today, in view of the emerging security situation, I have decided to declare a nationwide security emergency and order additional recruitment into the Armed Forces.
“By this declaration, the police and the army are authorised to recruit more personnel. The police will recruit an additional 20,000 officers, bringing the total to 50,000,” he said in a statement her personally signed.
Tinubu, who said that he had previously approved the nationwide upgrade of police training facilities, authorised the security agency to use various National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) camps as training depots.
According to him, the officers being withdrawn from VIP guard duties should undergo “crash training” to debrief them and deliver more efficient police services when deployed to security-challenged areas of the country.