Campaign council reports over 15,000 terrorists and bandits killed in three years; outlines recruitment approvals for 28,000 soldiers and 50,000 police officers
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Five-Year Strategic Defence Operations Plan is ready, the APC Presidential Campaign Council has announced, outlining a framework to strengthen military effectiveness, expand manpower and improve coordination against terrorism, banditry, kidnapping and other security threats.
In a statement issued on Sunday, November 15, 2026, campaign spokesperson Dele Alake said the plan would align defence priorities, operational requirements, capability development and expenditure with Nigeria’s current and anticipated security challenges.
The council described the initiative as part of a shift towards intelligence-led, technology-enabled and prevention-oriented security operations.
PRESIDENTIAL COMMITMENT
The announcement follows Tinubu’s August directive for the preparation of a National Threat Assessment and a rolling five-year defence operations plan. The Presidency said the assessment would identify priority threats, while the operational plan would specify capabilities, equipment requirements and implementation timelines.
Speaking about interagency cooperation during that earlier announcement, Tinubu said: “The operation demonstrated what can be achieved when our agencies work together with a clear objective and the necessary intelligence.”
That emphasis on coordination also featured in his subsequent security message at Dutse, Jigawa State, on November 10.
“We’re strengthening the police; we’re strengthening the armed forces. We are paying better salaries today,” the President said.
The quotations were delivered before the campaign council’s latest announcement and provide context for the administration’s stated security priorities.
OPERATIONS AND SURRENDERS
Alake reported that military operations over the past three years had resulted in the elimination of more than 15,000 terrorists and bandits.
The statement also reported the surrender of more than 130,000 Boko Haram fighters and dependants, linking the figure to rehabilitation efforts under Operation Safe Corridor.
Because the total includes dependants, it should not be interpreted as 130,000 combatants. The statement did not separately identify fighters, family members or those admitted into rehabilitation.
The council presented sustained military operations and non-kinetic interventions as complementary elements of the administration’s approach.
FORMATIONS AND MANPOWER
According to the statement, Tinubu has created four additional Army divisions and restructured existing formations to extend coverage, decentralise operations and improve response times.
Two additional Army depots in Osogbo, Osun State, and Amasiri-Edda, Ebonyi State, are intended to expand training capacity. Each can accommodate 6,000 recruits, providing combined capacity for 12,000.
The council said 5,210 recruits were already undergoing training at Osogbo.
It also announced presidential approval for an additional 28,000 soldiers and 50,000 police officers. These are recruitment approvals, rather than confirmation that the full numbers have completed training or entered operational service.
WELFARE AND IMPLEMENTATION
The statement highlighted investment in accommodation and operational infrastructure, including a 700-unit military barracks project in Ikere-Ekiti, Ekiti State.
The facilities are intended to improve personnel welfare and provide support for an effective military presence.
Under the proposed framework, investment would follow identified threats and operational needs, with the council anticipating improved readiness, reduced capability gaps and less waste.
The announcement did not disclose the plan’s total funding requirement, commencement date or annual performance milestones.
Its delivery will therefore require coordination between recruitment, training, equipment procurement, logistics and welfare, supported by clear reporting on implementation and security outcomes.
For communities affected by repeated attacks, the practical test will be whether the strategy reduces violence, improves emergency response and restores confidence in everyday movement and economic activity nationwide.
NATIONAL PATRIOTS POSITION
The National Patriots welcomes a coordinated defence plan connecting intelligence, manpower, equipment and personnel welfare. Sustained implementation must protect communities, secure farms and roads, and enable displaced families to return safely. Recruitment approvals should translate into trained, equipped personnel, while rehabilitation requires rigorous screening. Nigerians will judge progress through safer daily lives, effective prevention and transparent reporting of security outcomes.
Princess Gloria Adebajo-Fraser, MFR, MIoD, FIPMD
President, National Patriots
Member, APC-PCC Strategic Communications Team 2027
