Nigeria President Bola Tinubu urges bandits to surrender as Afenifere warns of instability

President Bola Tinubu used a nationwide Democracy Day broadcast to warn bandits, kidnappers and sponsors of terrorism to surrender, saying “Surrender or face the full force of the Nigerian State.” He highlighted recent gains, noting that Nigerian forces had degraded an ISWAP command centre in Arege, Borno State, that terror‑related deaths have fallen 81 % since 2015, that more than 13,000 terrorists were neutralised in the past year and that over 124,000 fighters and dependents have laid down arms since 2023 under Operation Safe Corridor.

The Yoruba socio‑cultural group Afenifere Diaspora USA issued a stark warning that Nigeria is “sitting on a leg of gunpowder,” urging the government to act decisively against Boko Haram, ISWAP, bandits and other armed groups. It cited worsening insecurity, rising petroleum costs and economic hardship, and warned that continued violence could push the nation of over 250 million toward civil conflict. The group called for expanded surveillance, drones, satellite intelligence, local security outfits and faster progress on a state police force.