Nigeria is once again confronting the grim reality of a deepening security crisis, forcing President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to take the rare step of declaring a “nationwide security emergency” on November 26. The decision-driven by an alarming spike in terrorist attacks, mass abductions, and deadly assaults-underscores how fragile stability has become in Africa’s most populous nation. With kidnappings returning to levels reminiscent of the darkest days of Boko Haram’s insurgency, Tinubu has ordered a sweeping expansion of the security apparatus, hoping to curb the chaos engulfing several states.

The president’s declaration came shortly after he canceled a planned visit to South Africa for the G20 Summit, a diplomatic absence that signaled the seriousness of domestic threats. In a formal announcement, Tinubu stated, “In view of the emerging security situation, I have decided to declare a nationwide security emergency and order additional recruitment into the Armed Forces.” With those words, he effectively acknowledged that Nigeria’s security forces-stretched thin for years-can no longer meet the demands of the escalating violence.

Central to Tinubu’s emergency plan is a major recruitment drive: the police will hire an additional 20,000 officers, raising the total number of new recruits planned to 50,000. Many of these recruits will be fast-tracked into deployment in states most affected by banditry and terrorism, including Kaduna, Niger, Zamfara, Kebbi, and parts of Kogi.

To accelerate the buildup, Tinubu authorized the temporary use of National........

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