National Security Alert: Reps Issue Stern Warning, Summon Chiefs Over Worsening Crisis

Nigeria's House of Representatives has urgently summoned the nation’s service chiefs and the National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu, to address the escalating wave of insecurity across the country. This critical move follows a series of motions highlighting a rapidly deteriorating security situation, particularly in the North-west region, despite ongoing military operations and substantial allocations to defence and security sectors in national budgets.

Lawmakers, led by Sulaiman Gumi of Zamfara State, described the insecurity as a full-blown humanitarian crisis, fueled by armed banditry, mass kidnappings, and the infiltration of transnational terrorist groups. Mr. Gumi meticulously detailed a disturbing surge in deadly attacks and abductions across Zamfara, Sokoto, Katsina, Kaduna, Kano, Kebbi, and Jigawa states. Specific incidents cited include the abduction of seven students and two lecturers from the Federal Polytechnic, Kaura Namoda, in Zamfara; killings and kidnappings in Zurmi and Talata Mafara Local Government Areas of Zamfara; the killing of 17 villagers in Dangulbi community, Sokoto; and the abduction of retired Major General Rabe Batsari in Katsina. Additionally, communities in Kaduna and border areas in Kano continue to suffer recurring attacks, cattle rustling, and abductions, with hundreds of thousands forced to flee their homes.

A separate motion, sponsored by Ibe Osonwa of Abia, underscored the constitutional mandate of the government to protect citizens, lamenting the severe impact of insecurity on education, with widespread school abductions forcing thousands of children out of school. Mr. Osonwa expressed profound grief over the daily escalation of banditry and terror attacks, noting that institutions once considered safe havens, such as schools and places of worship, have increasingly become targets. He highlighted that religious worshippers are frequently attacked or abducted during services, undermining fundamental constitutional rights. The lawmaker also pointed out the economic and social devastation, with businesses collapsing, farming communities deserted, and families plunged into poverty while struggling to pay ransoms for abducted relatives.

During the debate, lawmakers across party lines voiced deep frustration, questioning the efficacy of current security strategies. Abdussamad Dasuki of Sokoto State criticized a pattern of legislative resolutions yielding no measurable outcomes, proposing a closed-door session with key officials, including the Minister of Defence, Minister of Finance, NSA, service chiefs, and the Inspector-General of Police. He also advocated for the immediate recruitment of forest guards nationwide to secure ungoverned spaces used by criminal elements. Other lawmakers, like Stanley Olajide of Oyo State and Olumide Osoba of Ogun State, called for increased investment in technology-driven security solutions, such as surveillance technology, satellite monitoring, intelligence gathering, and the installation of CCTV systems. The calls for establishing state police were also renewed, with arguments that a decentralized policing framework would improve local intelligence and response times.

In response to these grave concerns, the House adopted several critical resolutions. It urged the Minister of Defence to deploy additional security personnel and operational equipment to Zamfara and other North-western states. Lawmakers also called upon the Ministries of Agriculture, Environment, Education, and Humanitarian Affairs, along with relevant development agencies, to explore non-kinetic approaches to address the root causes of insecurity, emphasizing that military action alone is insufficient. Crucially, the House demanded an aggressive and comprehensive security strategy aimed at dismantling bandit camps, securing vulnerable schools and worship centers, and ensuring the unconditional release of all abductees. In a significant declaration, the House asserted that if the administration proves unable to halt the worsening insecurity and restore safety within a specified period, the nation’s service chiefs should honourably resign for failing to uphold their constitutional mandate.

Recent attacks further heighten these concerns. In Oyo State, 46 persons, including 39 students and 7 teachers, were abducted from schools in Oriire Local Government Area, marking a disturbing expansion of large-scale school kidnappings into the South-west. In Borno State, suspected insurgents abducted 42 pupils and students from the Mussa community, an incident reminiscent of the 2014 Chibok abductions. These attacks force parents to withdraw children from schools, threatening educational development and increasing risks of child labor and early marriage. The House mandated its Committees on Defence, National Security and Intelligence, Army, and Civil Defence to intensify oversight of security operations and report back within two weeks.