President Bola Tinubu has advised insurgents across Nigeria to drop their weapons or pay the supreme price.
Tinubu gave the warning on Thursday at the 1st NAN Annual International Lecture with the theme: “Insecurity In the Sahel (2008-2024); Dissecting Nigeria’s challenges -genesis, impacts and options,” in Abuja.
The president who was represented by the National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, said his administration has in the last one year, put both kinetic and non-kinetic strategies in place to eliminate threats across the country.
He stressed that the administration has also adopted a multifaceted approach in tackling the security challenges as enshrined in the Renewed Hope Agenda which prioritised security as a critical component of government focus.
“The administrations in the last one year had put in place processes, policies and programmes to achieve improved security, economic development, improved welfare for all Nigerians,” the president said.
He stated further that the administration has developed both kinetic and non-kinetic strategies in considerably eliminating the threats of Boko haram, describing them as bad people to be confronted by the security forces.
“Enough is enough. For 15 years we’ve been going through hell in this country. Bad people are doing what they like. They continue to interfere with where we live our lives, interfere with our commerce, interfere with our education, interfere with our health system, interfere with our transportation and so on. And we just sit down and stand and allow them. Enough is enough. It has to stop. It will stop”.
President Tinubu further warned those kidnapping for ransom, threatening that they must stop saying “It’s a warning to them. Small time remain. If you want to live, leave it this way. If you want to live your life, stop it.”
He stressed examples were being made with the defeat of leaders of the criminal gangs, and offered the opportunity to embrace the non-kinetic window still open by the government.
“Now non-kinetic is still important. Windows are open, doors are open. If you are ready to come and surrender and stop it. Otherwise, you know what is going to happen to you, whoever you are. It is heartening that hundreds of our compatriots in the north are now returning home following restoration of peace in their communities and raising hope to boost in food production,” he said.
He noted that kidnapping has replaced old crimes such as armed robbery, bank robbery, house breaking as economic crime, the president warned perpetrators to desist or face the wrath of the law.
“We have defeated Armed robbery before in our country. We will also defeat kidnappers. It’s a matter of time. We are just only one year, three months or four months. Give us time. Give us time.”
The President further described insecurity in the Sahel as complex with deep roots in factors such as climate change, food insecurity and extremism which have created a ring of violence and instability
“A secured Nigeria is a secure Sahel region because of our number, because of our size, because of our strategic position where we are, we are fixing Nigeria, and you see, it is going to translate into the other parts of our neighbours who are indeed facing challenges and difficulties,”