Nigeria Intensifies War Against Terror As Tinubu Deploys Special Rescue Team
Princess-Ekwi Ajide
As terrorists continue to target schools and vulnerable communities, the Federal Government says it is adopting a more aggressive and intelligence-driven strategy to defeat insecurity while accelerating plans to establish state police across the country.
Speaking at a special national security briefing in Abuja tagged “unite against terror, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, assured Nigerians that the safe return of abducted schoolchildren and teachers in Oyo and Borno states remains a top priority for President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
According to the minister, the President has authorised the deployment of a specialised rescue team and approved the recruitment of 1,000 forest guards to strengthen security in vulnerable communities and forested areas.
Idris revealed that the administration is pursuing a comprehensive overhaul of Nigeria’s security architecture, with state policing forming a key pillar of the reforms.
“President Tinubu is determined to ensure that one of his legacies is the delivery of a restructured policing system that is dynamic, flexible and fit-for-purpose,” he said.
The minister highlighted several security gains recorded since May 2023, including the elimination, arrest and surrender of hundreds of terrorists and criminal elements across the country.
He disclosed that security forces recently neutralised more than 50 terrorists in Borno State, while about 1,000 terrorist elements, including key commanders, were eliminated during operations in the North-East in the first quarter of 2026.
Idris also announced that Nigeria has commenced one of the largest terrorism prosecutions in its history, with 508 terrorism-related cases brought before the courts and 386 convictions already secured.
He noted that the Federal Government is strengthening security cooperation with the United States and other international partners through intelligence sharing, counter-terrorism operations, military training and border security initiatives.
The minister urged Nigerians to unite against terrorism by providing credible intelligence to security agencies and rejecting divisive narratives that terrorists often exploit.
“Terrorism has no tribe. Terrorism has no religion. Terrorism has no political affiliation. Its only purpose is destruction,” he said.
Reassuring families of abducted victims, Idris said every available resource is being deployed to secure their release, stressing that the government remains committed to protecting schools, safeguarding communities and restoring lasting peace across the country.
Other speakers at the briefing including the Director Defence Information, Major General Samaila Uba, Force PRO, Anthony Okon Placid, Director Legal Services Office of the National Security Advisor, Zakari Mijinyawa, and the PRO NSCDC, Afolabi Babawale, urged Nigerians to support security agencies with credible information, insisting that defeating terrorism requires national unity and collective action.
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