Macron Backs Tinubu as France Pledges Stronger Security Support Amid Nigeria’s National Emergency
French President Emmanuel Macron has thrown France’s full diplomatic weight behind President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, affirming what PulseNets learnt is France’s “unwavering solidarity” with Nigeria as the country battles expanding terrorist threats and widespread insecurity.
The development became public after Macron posted on his verified X handle on Sunday, revealing that he had personally spoken with Tinubu. In the message, he stated:
“I spoke with President Tinubu of Nigeria @officialABAT. I expressed France’s solidarity with him in the face of various security challenges, particularly the terrorist threat in the North.
At his request, we will strengthen our partnership with the authorities and our support for the affected populations. We call on all our partners to mobilize.”
He added pointedly: “No one should remain a bystander.”
Sunday’s high-level contact from Paris comes at a moment of deep national anxiety for Nigeria, which is currently under a formal state of emergency amid a renewed surge of mass kidnappings, attacks on villages and worship centres, and escalating violence across the northern and central belts.
PulseNets obtained confirmation from senior diplomatic sources that the conversation followed Nigeria’s declaration of a nationwide emergency, triggered by a disturbing spike in mass abductions, violent raids on churches and communities, and the worsening security climate across vulnerable regions.
Tinubu had earlier declared the emergency following two large-scale kidnappings of schoolchildren and a series of brutal attacks on unarmed civilians. According to details told PulseNets by security officials, the president has approved the recruitment of 20,000 additional police personnel—bringing the planned total to 50,000—and authorised the intelligence services to deploy specialised forest guards to safeguard remote communities.
In his national address, Tinubu said:
“My fellow Nigerians, this is a national emergency, and we are responding by deploying more boots on the ground, especially in security-challenged areas.”
Under Nigeria’s constitution, the president is empowered to declare such an emergency during grave national crises.
Recent atrocities by armed groups—coupled with controversial remarks from U.S. President Donald Trump—have further heightened pressure on Abuja. Within days, gunmen abducted 25 students in Kebbi State and over 300 in Niger State. Officials told PulseNets that the Kebbi victims have since been rescued and reunited with their families, while an intensive search-and-rescue operation continues for those taken in Niger.
Trump’s combative claims about the persecution of Christians in Nigeria and his threat of a “guns-a-blazing” intervention have cast an international spotlight on the country’s worsening insecurity.
Also Read: Bola Tinubu Holds Private Working Lunch With Macron At Elysee Palace In Paris
In response, Tinubu also ordered strengthened security around schools, churches and mosques—particularly in isolated communities—to deter further attacks. However, analysts who spoke to PulseNets warn that simply deploying more personnel may not be sufficient to reverse the complex and fast-evolving threat landscape.
