President Bola Tinubu has cautioned Nigerians against trading blame along ethnic lines over the country’s fight against insecurity.
In his 2026 Democracy Day speech, the president urged all Nigerians to unite against terrorists and bandits, adding that “crime has no ethnicity”.
Tinubu also spoke on the recent attacks in Oyo and Borno states, saying there is hope that the abducted schoolchildren will eventually be released from captivity.
“Though this year’s mood is dampened by the abduction of our children in Oyo and Borno, we remain hopeful for their safe return. Democracy without security is a mirage. That is why this administration declared a security emergency and approved the recruitment of more than 50,000 new police officers and thousands of military recruits. Our 2026 budget commits N5.41 trillion—our largest ever—to defence and security. Our administration is ever ready to do much more to secure our people,” the speech reads in part.
“We have moved from training with our allies, the United States, France and other European countries, to precision targeting. In Arege, Borno State, we degraded ISWAP’s command centre. Terror-related deaths are down by 81% since 2015. Over 13,000 terrorists have been neutralised in the past year. But we also keep the door of surrender open. Over 124,000 fighters and dependents have laid down their arms since 2023 through Operation Safe Corridor.
“At a time like this, let us not assign blame or point fingers. Crime has no ethnicity. We must stand united and be assured that the enemies of our nation shall soon be history. We will triumph over terror and continue to build a more prosperous nation.
“Let us move forward together—rejecting division, cynicism, and despair; embracing unity, hope, and confidence. Let us build a Nigeria united by a common purpose, strengthened by diversity, where justice is accessible, liberty is secure, and opportunity is abundant.”
The president also spoke on a window of surrender for non-state actors and terror financiers, urging them to take advantage of it before it is too late.
“To bandits, kidnappers, and sponsors of terror: Surrender or face the full force of the Nigerian State. These windows of surrender will not remain open forever. No mercy will be shown to those who trade in the blood of Nigerians,” he said.
Peter Obi, presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), had also recently cautioned against framing crime along ethnic lines.
Obi said many Nigerians have experienced stereotyping and discrimination because of their ethnic backgrounds, warning that such tendencies threaten national unity.
The former Anambra governor said he understood the challenges faced by ordinary Fulani people who are often judged by the actions of criminal elements operating in parts of the country.
“I understand the pain of the ordinary Fulani man today, often unfairly judged by the actions of criminals he does not support, has never met, and who are not representative of his people,” he said.
Obi argued that criminality should be treated as an individual offence rather than an ethnic identity.
