Tinubu Pledges Improved Security, Backs State, Community Policing

President Bola Tinubu has assured Nigerians that ongoing reforms of the country’s security architecture will soon produce tangible results and restore public confidence.

President Tinubu gave the assurance on while meeting a delegation of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), led by its President, Archbishop Daniel Okoh, at his Lagos residence.

In a statement by his spokesperson, Bayo Onanuga, the president said his administration remained committed to security sector reforms, including the introduction of state and community policing to address emerging threats.

“The mood of the nation is peaceful, although our ungoverned spaces are so large. The challenge is real, but we will surmount it,” Mr Tinubu said.

He urged religious leaders to support government efforts through cooperation, vigilance and prayers, noting that some security initiatives required time to yield results.

President Tinubu said state and community policing would become operational once the National Assembly concluded the required legislative processes.

He also attributed public concerns about security to delays in the procurement of military hardware, explaining that such equipment was expensive and not readily available.

The president disclosed that Nigeria had ordered four attack helicopters from the United States and was also engaging Turkey for additional support.

Despite the guerrilla tactics of bandits and insurgents, he said the government remained resolute, stressing that restoring peace and security was a top priority.

On the recent abduction and release of schoolchildren in Niger and Kebbi states, Mr Tinubu said the safety of the victims was paramount, adding that the circumstances surrounding their release were secondary.

Responding, Archbishop Okoh pledged the support of the Christian community for the administration and commended its efforts at improving security.

He said the 2025 Christmas season was notably peaceful, describing it as the first in many years without reported attacks on churches.

Archbishop Okoh also praised the president’s engagement with religious bodies, saying it had strengthened trust between the government and the Church, and appealed for sustained collaboration through CAN’s structures nationwide, including support for the Christian Pilgrims’ Board.

Members of the delegation included CAN Vice President, Rev. Stephen Panya Baba; President of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria, Bishop Francis Wale Oke; and representatives of the Catholic, Methodist and African Instituted Churches.