President Bola Tinubu has promised to defend Nigeria from terror and all forms of criminality threatening the peace and stability of the country and the West Africa sub-region.

In his inaugural speech as the 16th democratically-elected president, Mr Tinubu said security would be his administration’s top priority.

The president said neither prosperity nor justice could prevail amidst insecurity and violence.

“To effectively tackle this menace, we shall reform both our security doctrine and its architecture.

“We shall invest more in our security personnel, and this means more than an increase in number,” Mr Tinubu said.

He also pledged to provide more equipment and training for security personnel.

Mr Tinubu said his mission was to improve the lives of Nigerians in a manner that would nurture humanity, encourage compassion toward one another, and duly rewards collective effort to resolve the social ills that sought to divide the nation.

He called for the development of a shared sense of fairness and equity, adding that the South must not only seek good for itself but must understand that its interests were served when good come to the North.

“Whether from the winding creeks of the Niger Delta, the vastness of the northern savannah, the boardrooms of Lagos, the bustling capital of Abuja, or the busy markets of Onitsha, you are all my people.

“As your president, I shall serve with prejudice toward none but compassion and amity towards all.

“In the coming days and weeks, my team will publicly detail key aspects of our programme,” he said. 

(NAN)