President Bola Tinubu has vowed to equip operatives of the proposed state police and newly established forest rangers with arms as part of a comprehensive strategy to tackle terrorism and banditry across Nigeria.

Speaking at the All Progressives Congress (APC) National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting held on Friday at the State House Conference Centre, Abuja, Tinubu emphasized the urgent need to end decades-long security challenges in the country.

“We are going for state police. We will do forest rangers. We will arm them. We will defeat those terrorists and bandits, we must do that,” the president said.

The announcement comes amid a recent surge in killings and criminal activities across multiple states, prompting the government to take steps toward establishing local police forces.

While some stakeholders remain skeptical about the potential misuse of state police by governors, the National Assembly has expressed support for the creation of these local forces to strengthen security.

Tinubu’s plan reflects a broader effort to enhance local law enforcement capacity and respond decisively to rising insecurity and violent crimes in Nigeria.