Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, has described the United States’ Christmas Day military airstrikes on Islamist militants in Sokoto State as a “blessing,” saying the operation reflects growing international cooperation to address Nigeria’s security challenges.
Mrs Tinubu made the remarks during an interview with Fox News Digital, where she emphasized that the joint efforts between the Nigerian and US militaries demonstrate the openness of President Bola Tinubu’s administration to deeper global security partnerships.
According to the First Lady, President Tinubu formally declared a state of emergency on insecurity on November 26, 2026, in response to worsening violence across parts of the country and rising global concern over the safety of Nigerian citizens, particularly Christians.
“In November, because of what is going on and the world concern about Nigerian Christians, the government, my husband declared a state of emergency on the 26th of November, 2026, on insecurity,” she said.
She outlined a series of measures taken by the administration to strengthen internal security nationwide. These include directives to the Inspector General of Police to recruit an additional 50,000 police officers, alongside the deployment of 24,000 soldiers to reinforce security operations across affected regions.
Mrs Tinubu also revealed that 10,000 forest guards—previously unarmed—have now been authorized to carry arms in order to secure forest reserves that serve as hideouts for terrorist groups, bandits, and kidnappers demanding ransom.
In a further effort to boost manpower in high-risk areas, she said 11,566 police officers previously assigned to VIP protection duties have been withdrawn and redeployed to security hotspots across the country. These areas include Plateau State, Benue State, Taraba State, and other vulnerable communities identified by security agencies.
The First Lady stressed that the government is fully aware of international concerns and remains committed to protecting all citizens. She reiterated that Nigeria guarantees freedom of religion, noting that it is firmly enshrined in the nation’s constitution.
“We hear what the world is saying. We are concerned about our people’s safety,” she said, adding that improving security is also critical to sustaining investor confidence as Nigeria’s economic growth continues to rise.
Mrs Tinubu noted that the current administration is focused on addressing inherited challenges rather than blaming past governments, admitting that opportunities during Nigeria’s economic boom years were not adequately leveraged.
“This is what we have inherited now. We have to see what to do, and we have to partner with other countries who mean well for Nigeria and those who can help us, making sure that our insecurity situation is dealt with,” she added.
Her comments come amid renewed debate over foreign military involvement in Nigeria’s counterterrorism efforts, with the Tinubu administration signaling readiness to collaborate with international allies to restore peace and stability across the country.
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