President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has warned terrorists, bandits and kidnappers operating across the country to surrender or face decisive measures from security forces.

Tinubu issued the warning on Friday, June 12, during his Democracy Day address, declaring that his administration will not show mercy to those responsible for violence against Nigerians.

The President said the
terror-related deaths in Nigeria have dropped by 81 per cent since 2015, while more than 13,000 terrorists were neutralised in the past year alone.

According to him, security forces have intensified precision military operations against terrorist groups, including a recent operation that degraded an ISWAP command centre in Arege, Borno State.

“We have moved from training with our allies, the United States, France and other European countries, to precision targeting,” he said.

Tinubu also revealed that more than 124,000 terrorists and their dependants have surrendered under the Federal Government’s Operation Safe Corridor programme since 2023.

While acknowledging the impact of rehabilitation initiative, the President stressed that the window for surrender would not remain open indefinitely.

“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.

The President also reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to tackling insecurity, noting that more than 50,000 new police officers and thousands of military recruits have been approved to strengthen security operations nationwide.

Tinubu added that the 2026 budget earmarked N5.41 trillion for defence and security, the largest allocation to the sector in the country’s history.

The President urged Nigerians to remain united in the fight against criminality, emphasising that insecurity is a national concern that requires collective action rather than ethic or regional divisions.