President Bola Ahmed Tinubu said the federal government will not bow to terrorists and bandits in its effort to secure the nation.
The pledge comes as Nigeria faces a dual crisis of rising insecurity and severe economic hardship, leaving the administration under pressure to provide both safety and financial relief to its citizens.
In a statement delivered on June 12, 2026 [1], Tinubu said the government would not surrender to those threatening the peace of the country. He vowed to intensify efforts to defeat these groups while simultaneously working to relieve the economic burdens facing the public.
"We will not bow to terrorists and bandits," Tinubu said [1].
The president's remarks were reported across multiple platforms, though accounts vary on the exact location of the delivery. Some reports place the statement within Nigeria, while other accounts indicate the president addressed Nigerians while in Rwanda [5].
Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu said the president's resolve was shared, calling for national unity to support the administration's security strategy. Sanwo-Olu urged citizens to align with the federal government and security agencies to ensure the defeat of those threatening national peace.
"Let us unite behind President Tinubu and our security agencies to defeat those who threaten our peace," Sanwo-Olu said [3].
Tinubu said the government remains committed to a firm security stance, asserting that terrorists and bandits will face ultimate defeat [4]. This commitment is paired with a promise to address the socio-economic factors that contribute to instability across the region.
“"We will not bow to terrorists and bandits,"”
The administration's refusal to negotiate with non-state armed actors signals a continuation of a hard-line military approach to insurgency. By linking security promises with economic relief, the government is acknowledging that instability in Nigeria is often fueled by poverty and financial desperation, suggesting that a purely kinetic military solution may be insufficient without accompanying social welfare improvements.
