"The light is here": Tinubu urges prayer for repentant terrorists amid fresh wave of kidnappings

• President Tinubu asked Nigerians to pray for bandits to abandon their evil ways or face the law.

• A surging wave of violence has forced school closures and triggered mass panic across the South-West.

• Armed terrorists launched a devastating assault on a military school, leaving 17 officers feared dead.

• While the presidency insists the "dark tunnel is over", terrified communities demand urgent physical protection.

President Bola Tinubu has called on Nigerians to pray for the repentance of bandits and terrorists.

He urged the public to "pray that those who commit crimes among us may rethink and abandon their evil ways or face the full weight of the law."

The President’s message, delivered during his Eid-el-Kabir national address, comes at a time when the country is facing immense pressure over worsening regional violence, particularly across the south-western states and northern corridors.

The impact of the security crisis is increasingly felt within Nigeria's educational sector, where a series of recent disruptions highlights growing vulnerability.

In Ekiti State, acute panic broke out as fear gripped Ekiti students who scrambled into a police truck to escape potential attacks amid heightened school kidnapping concerns.

The threat has triggered defensive measures in neighbouring states as well.

In Ondo State, authorities took the proactive step of shutting down academic activities, as rising insecurity fears forced Ondo to shut schools ahead of the All Progressives Congress (APC) House of Assembly primary elections.

Meanwhile, community anger boiled over in Oyo State, where Oyo teachers staged protests over an abduction in Ogbomoso, demanding immediate state intervention to secure the release of their colleagues and protect local schools.

The security challenges have also directly impacted the nation's defence forces. In one of the most severe recent engagements, 17 officers were feared dead as terrorists attacked a Nigerian military school, illustrating the high capabilities of armed non-state actors in the region.

Compounding public anxieties over safety and governance, a viral video surfaced online showing a Nigerian officer threatening a citizen for video recording, sparking fresh debates regarding discipline and accountability within internal security agencies.

In his national address, President Tinubu acknowledged the ongoing hardships but insisted that his administration’s economic and security reforms are beginning to yield results.

"The walk through the dark tunnel is over, and the light is here," the President stated. "I am confident that, by the Grace of God, the reforms we have diligently pursued will continue to yield improved security and greater opportunities for all."

While pointing to specific military achievements, including the recent elimination of a high-profile ISIS leader in the region, Tinubu explicitly addressed communities still suffering from persistent raids and kidnappings.

"I am aware that, despite the best efforts of our security and intelligence agencies, including the recent elimination of a wanted ISIS leader, heartless terrorists and bandits still attack some communities. I assure you: you are neither abandoned nor forgotten. We will ultimately defeat all the forces of evil," Tinubu said.

The federal government maintains that its long-term strategy of security hardware procurement, intelligence integration, and economic reforms will permanently stabilise the country. 

However, with schools closed and teachers protesting on the streets, the public continues to demand more immediate and actionable measures to guarantee daily safety.

READ NEXT: Lagos moves to ban the 20% "agent fee"—But there’s a catch