Translated with AI
Nigerian President Bola Tinubu declared a state of emergency in the country due to the deteriorating security situation, accompanied by a series of mass kidnappings of citizens by extremists, INTERFAX reports.
The president's statement said: "In view of the deteriorating security situation, I have decided to declare a state of emergency and order additional recruitment into the Nigerian Armed Forces."
According to media reports, over the past week, extremists have kidnapped 315 schoolchildren and teachers, as well as dozens of other citizens, across the country. Some of the abductees were released or managed to escape, but the fate of 265 children and their teachers remains unknown.
Over the weekend, Tinubu approved plans to increase the police force by 50,000 officers.
The terrorist organization Boko Haram (banned in Russia) has been operating in Nigeria since the early 2000s. Formed in 2002, it initially operated in the northeast of the country, but its attacks subsequently spread to Cameroon, Niger, and Chad.
Furthermore, the country is plagued by conflicts between farmers, predominantly Christian, and herders over control of land and water resources. According to The Wall Street Journal, these disputes may have killed up to 12,000 people since 2010.
Previously, US President Donald Trump spoke of the possibility of military intervention to protect Christians in Nigeria and the suspension of aid to the country. However, this week, the Nigerian and US authorities agreed to expand security cooperation to counter the extremist threat.
