President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has warned world leaders that terrorists, organised criminal groups, cybercriminals and illicit financiers are exploiting gaps between national security systems to expand their operations across borders.
Tinubu issued the warning in Nigeria’s national statement at the General Debate of the 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York on Thursday, September 24, 2026.
Vice President Kashim Shettima delivered the statement on behalf of the President. Shettima is representing Tinubu and leading Nigeria’s delegation at the 81st UN General Assembly.
According to Tinubu, no country, regardless of the strength of its defences, can completely protect itself from threats sustained beyond its borders.
He said terrorism, organised crime, cyberattacks and illicit finance were exploiting weaknesses and divisions in the international security system, making stronger cooperation among countries essential.
“No nation, however formidable its defences, can secure itself completely against dangers sustained beyond its borders.”
Tinubu added:
“Terrorism, organised crime, cyberattacks and illicit finance exploit the gaps between our national responses, drawing strength from the divisions that weaken collective action.”
Tinubu Links Security to Development
The President said Nigeria’s prolonged fight against Boko Haram, the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) and other armed groups had demonstrated that military victories alone could not guarantee lasting peace.
He argued that counter-terrorism efforts must be supported by education, economic opportunities, accountable governance and the protection of citizens’ rights.
“Nigeria’s prolonged struggle against Boko Haram, ISWAP and other armed groups has taught us that military victories require enduring foundations in education, economic opportunity, accountable governance and communities whose rights and dignity are protected.”
Tinubu also warned that sustainable development would remain difficult in communities where violence continues to destroy livelihoods and displace residents.
“Development cannot take root where violence repeatedly uproots livelihoods, and peace cannot endure where injustice and exclusion replenish the ranks of those who threaten.”
President Calls for Stronger Global Security Cooperation
Tinubu called for stronger international cooperation to tackle transnational security threats, urging countries to improve intelligence sharing, strengthen institutional capacity, disrupt the financing of violent groups and prevent weapons from crossing borders.
“Our common security therefore demands cooperation equal to the reach of the threats before us.”
He added:
“We must exchange intelligence, strengthen institutional capacity, interrupt the financing of violence and prevent weapons from crossing borders that our responses too often fail to cross.”
The President pointed to instability across the Sahel as an example of how insecurity can transcend national boundaries.
According to him, instability in one country can spread to neighbouring states, displace populations, disrupt commerce and undermine regional integration and democratic governance.
“The turmoil in the Sahel illustrates how insecurity in one territory can imperil its neighbours, displace populations and frustrate commerce, regional integration and democratic governance.”
Tinubu reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to regional cooperation through the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and broader African partnerships.
“As a founding member of ECOWAS, Nigeria upholds regional solidarity and African leadership in resolving these challenges, reinforced by principled international partnerships.”
He further warned that lasting security would remain difficult to achieve if armed groups could find sanctuary, resources and recruits outside the countries where they operate.
“No country can claim lasting safety while the forces capable of destabilising it retain sanctuary, resources and recruits elsewhere.”
Tinubu Calls for Greater Focus on Peacebuilding
The President also linked international security to sustainable development, saying governments and international institutions must deliver tangible improvements in people’s lives to maintain public trust.
He said Nigeria remained committed to the peaceful settlement of disputes and called for greater international attention to conflicts, including the war in Sudan.
Tinubu maintained that negotiated settlements must respect national sovereignty and territorial integrity, while humanitarian and human rights laws must continue to protect civilians and guarantee access to humanitarian assistance.
He also called for increased investment in peacebuilding, mediation and institution-building, arguing that preventing conflicts should receive greater financial and political attention.
“Dialogue, reconciliation and inclusive political processes must give people a stake in ending violence and preserving the agreements that follow.”
He added:
“The United Nations must therefore strengthen peacekeeping and give greater attention to peacebuilding, mediation, institution-building and sustainable development. Prevention must command greater resources and political attention.”
The emphasis on international cooperation comes as the United Nations continues to address the changing nature of terrorism, including its links with organised crime, illicit financing and emerging technologies. The UN has highlighted the importance of information sharing, counter-terrorism financing measures and cooperation among states in responding to transnational threats.
Nigeria Demands Permanent UN Security Council Seats for Africa
Tinubu also used Nigeria’s national statement to renew the country’s call for reform of the United Nations Security Council.
Nigeria demanded at least two permanent seats for Africa, with the full rights and responsibilities of permanent membership, including veto powers for as long as the veto remains part of the Council’s structure.
The country also called for five non-permanent seats for Africa.
The demand reflects Nigeria’s broader position that the current structure of the Security Council does not adequately reflect contemporary global realities.
Tinubu argued that reform of the United Nations should include changes to the Security Council to better reflect the distribution of power and interests in the modern international system.
Nigeria Seeks International Financial Reforms
The President further called for reforms to the international financial architecture, greater access to concessional financing and debt frameworks that take the developmental needs of poorer countries into account.
He said Nigeria remained committed to working with other countries through ECOWAS, the African Union and international partnerships to address terrorism, democratic governance, maritime security and other transnational challenges.
Tinubu urged countries to prioritise cooperation, dialogue and collective action in responding to the security, economic and environmental challenges facing the world.
The 81st UN General Assembly opened on September 8, 2026, and is scheduled to run until September 7, 2027. Its theme is “Restoring Trust, Managing Transformation: A United Nations That Delivers for All.”