President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has warned armed groups operating in Nigeria to surrender or face the full force of the state. During a Democracy Day address on June 12, 2026, the president said this year’s celebrations were overshadowed by recent kidnappings of schoolchildren.
Tinubu said security remains a top priority for his administration as gunmen continue attacking communities in several states. The government will not tolerate armed groups that destabilize communities and terrorize innocent citizens, the president said.
The warning comes as insecurity continues to spread beyond the northeast. A Reuters report said masked gunmen attacked a school in Oyo State, forcing residents to flee after gunfire broke out near the facility.
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Attacks Spread Beyond The North
The Oyo incident is important because the military has pointed to Boko Haram militants, a group that usually operates in the northeast. That would mark a major shift in the pattern of attacks if confirmed.
Meanwhile, recent school abductions in Niger and Kebbi states have kept pressure on security agencies. Fifty of 315 children abducted from a Catholic institution in Niger State have escaped, but many others remain missing, according to reports.
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In Kebbi State, 20 students were seized from a boarding school, adding to public alarm over school safety. As a result, several educational institutions across the country have tightened security or closed temporarily.
Government Under Pressure
Tinubu used his address to mark the return to civilian rule in 1999 and to reassure Nigerians that the government is responding. Still, families continue to demand answers about missing children and repeated attacks.
The president said militants must surrender and accept the authority of the state. Parents, however, want action, not only warnings, as the kidnapping crisis spreads into new regions.
