US Officials, Others Present As Lawmakers Lament Over Insecurity At Special Plenary

It was a day of lamentations in the House of Representatives on Tuesday as lawmakers expressed deep sorrows over the rising insecurity across the country.

The House dedicated the plenary session to deliberate on the state of national security with a view to identifying the causes, effects and proffering solutions which would be conveyed via resolutions to the executive arm of government at the end of the exercise on Wednesday.

The special plenary, observed by officials from the United States Embassy; Speaker of the Parliament of Saint Kitts and Nevis, Hon. Lanien Blanchette, along with Members of Parliament and Cabinet Ministers, featured presentations from security related Standing Committees and regional caucus leaders in the House.

In his opening address, Speaker Abbas Tajudeen declared that the events of the past week revealed a deeply troubling escalation in violence across several states.

He said the various attacks were not only coordinated but designed to destabilise the country, aiming to create the impression that violent groups can act without restraint, albeit focusing on soft and vulnerable targets.

“Their purpose is to instill fear, weaken public confidence, and give the illusion of being everywhere at once. Nigeria must reject this tactic. We must resist fear and stand firm against those who rely on cruelty and spectacle to advance their evil ideologies.

“The last few weeks have been difficult for our country. Communities have suffered severe attacks, including killings and multiple abductions targeting civilians, security personnel and other vulnerable groups. These incidents occurred in rapid succession and affected different parts of the country, underscoring the scale and coordination of the threat we face.

“The attack in Kebbi State shocked the nation. The abduction of students in Niger State caused deep distress. The kidnapping of worshippers in Kwara State brought fear to many communities. Families are grieving. Citizens are anxious. These incidents remind us of the scale of the threat we face and the seriousness of the work before us,” Speaker Abbas said.

The speaker enjoined Nigerians to remain undaunted by the recent activities of terrorists and bandits but remain united in tackling the security challenges.

Speaker Abbas stated that the decision of the House to suspend all other matters to focus on national security was neither symbolic nor procedural but “reflects the seriousness of the moment and our duty to speak for our constituents.”

Abbas also commended President Bola Tinubu for showing leadership and stimulating a swift response from the security forces.

“Since President Bola Ahmed Tinubu assumed office, his administration has taken steps to reform the security architecture. There has been a shift in coordination among the services and a more deliberate effort to regain the initiative.

“Evidence shows that these reforms have produced results. Thousands of captives have been freed. High-ranking commanders linked to violent networks have been eliminated. Millions of displaced people have returned to their communities. There was also a measurable decline in some categories of mass abductions and kidnappings. These gains reminded us that progress is possible when strategy, coordination and political will converge,” he said.

Abbas noted that, “we must, however, accept that certain forms of violence have resurfaced in different parts of the country and are evolving rapidly. The roots of this resurgence lie both within and beyond our borders.

“The Sahel has undergone significant upheaval. Changes of government in Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger Republic have created ungoverned spaces that armed groups now exploit. Illegal arms trafficking has increased. Nigeria, therefore, faces domestic and transnational pressures that require an integrated response.”

The speaker while alluding to the designation of Nigeria as a ‘Country of Particular Concern’ by the United States, said the government of Nigeria did not and will never support or sponsor violence against its own citizens.

Abbas declared that Nigeria’s sovereignty remains non-negotiable, yet partnership, especially when extended in good faith, can allow both countries to face shared threats with greater clarity and purpose.

“We conveyed our resolutions to the United States Congress, the Department of State and the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom.

“It is true that in some communities, Christians have been targeted, just as Muslim communities have suffered similar attacks in others. These acts have been carried out by violent groups pursuing their own agendas. They do not reflect the policy or practice of the Nigerian state.

“Terrorism, banditry, communal clashes and extremist violence have brought suffering to Nigerians of all faiths. Our Constitution guarantees freedom of religion, and every institution of government remains committed to protecting that right.”

Also speaking, Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu acknowledged the security challenges affecting the country and said the solution to them required structural legislative reform, not merely reactive military responses.

Kalu observed that the Nigerian Police Force was constrained by centralised command, inadequate funding and lack of accountability, hence the need to move the force from exclusive to concurrent list.

He said that despite strong anti-kidnapping laws like life imprisonment, death penalty for kidnapping, the practice continued because it is alleged that government entities negotiate with bandits and pay ransom.

Kalu called for legal prohibition of ransom negotiation and mandating criminal justice process over amnesty programmes.

He stressed the need for legislation to provide criminal penalties for government officials who negotiate ransom or authorise unstructured amnesty deals.

“Number two, Mr Speaker, is mandate prosecution through criminal justice system for all banditry suspects.

“Number three, establish transparent critical criteria for any future disarmament. There is no criteria for disarmament for demobilisation and reintegration programme. Following proper conflict resolution protocol, not ad hoc political deals.

“We need to also create parliamentary oversight committee to monitor implementation. Mr Speaker, we cannot negotiate with those who kidnap our children. Mr Speaker, those who terrorise our community, we should not negotiate with them.”

In a presentation, the House Leader, Hon. Julius Ihonvbere, said the country faced multifaceted security threats across the country with displacement of families and communities while mortalities remained high, reaching up to 9,500 in 2024.

While noting that the global terrorism index places Nigeria as the sixth most impacted country globally by terrorism, he said report showed that the country has over 24,000 violent incidents between December 2023 and November 2024.

Ihonvbere noted that: “in the Northeast both Boko Haram and ISWAP continue to terrorise communities without letting up. In spite of this, government, talking broadly, has responded with heavy military offensive, with thousands surrendering.

“Similarly, in the Northwest, what people used to talk about cattle rustling, has become what is now referred to as full-blown banditry by criminal gangs, now designated as terrorist groups by the Nigerian government. They continue to terrorise villages, encourage highway ambush and robbery.

“If you take the North-Central, ethnic and farmer/header clashes, but they suffer from what is called the spillover effect of insecurity from the Northwest and the Northeast. As they are dislodging both regions, they move down and come to the North-Central. And we are witnessing and listening to unbelievable and unimaginable killings in the North-Central.

“The government has also responded there, not only by deploying service chiefs, security chiefs in that zone, but also launched Operation Whirl Stroke. And the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps launched the Agro Rangers to protect and guide farmers so they can return to their farms.

“In the Southeast, separatists criminality and weaponisation for legitimate agitations….the sit-at-home order, attacks on public infrastructure like annual conferences and police stations. The unknown government puts fear in the minds of people, affecting their businesses through kidnappings, robberies, and assassinations.

“In the Niger Delta, security arrangements have secured most of our pipelines, and this has enabled oil production to go up. Crude oil theft continues with sophisticated systems, illegal bunkering, piracy in the Gulf of Guinea, cultism and gag violence in the South-South, kidnappings and community attacks.

“The South-West, apparently the most stable region in the country to date. The states have invested heavily in regional security, and their state security arrangement appears to be doing fairly well but urban security challenges continue, with robberies, courts, civil unrest in urban areas.”

The House leader added that the legislature has equally responded to the issue of insecurity, with countless motions and bills to restructure the police force, to amend the Nigeria Army Act, and so on and so forth.

“We’ve appropriated more money for defence, and we’ve held several consultations with service chiefs, in order to better understand the challenges they face.

“The House Committees on Security Agencies have come up with the following solutions, which we’ll try to implement:the modernisation of defence architecture, by amending the Armed Forces Act, which has gone through second reading, and I believe will help.

“They’ve also talked about the need to sharpen the roles of service chiefs, promote coordination and reduce or eliminate rivalry between the agencies, promote accountability. The prosecution of bandits and terrorists that are arrested is continuing,” he added.

For his part, the House Minority Leader, Hon. Kingsley Chinda, also noted that insecurity was ravaging the entire country but the government was not doing enough to arrest the situation.

Chinda said the House must immediately come up with a bill to establish National Border Patrol Force to secure the nation’s borders to reduce the influx of criminal elements while using the opportunity of the ongoing constitution amendment exercise to establish community or state police.

“We must own up to the truth. How well are we doing? How well are we tackling this problem? When I hear people praise government that government is doing well. Are we sincere? Government is still sleeping. Nothing fundamental has been done. Nothing.

“We cannot continue with the fire brigade approach. Must we wait until our children are kidnapped before we take steps? And when 20 are kidnapped, we recover two, we beat our chest that we are achieving. What about the 18? Dear colleagues, we recall, there is no week that this chamber has not discussed the issue of insecurity.

“We must find solutions to ensure that Nigerians sleep with their two eyes closed. Firstly, let me suggest that the time has come for us to start looking at having a national border force.

“We also have before us the constitution amendment that is going on. Security is prominent. My dear colleagues, we don’t have an option than to go back to community policing or state policing,” he added.

In his remarks, leader of the northern regional caucus, Hon. Alhassan Ado-Doguwa (APC, Kano) expressed deep worry over the issue of insecurity all over the country, calling for a legislative emergency by shutting down the House.

“Mr Speaker, we can even declare legislative emergency. Close the House, shut it up.Who are we legislating for? What laws are we making when the country is running in blood?

“The country is running in blood and tears. The farmers cannot go to farm. Our traders cannot go to market. Worshippers cannot go to Mosques, cannot go to Churches. Then what are we legislating here?

“If the government is not prepared to actually do the right thing that will protect the lives and property of our people, I urge on you, I urge this honourable House, as a House of the people of Nigeria, to stand up to pay the supreme price. And that is no more than to shut this House down and to call emergency on any legislative issue and wait until the right action is taken by the government of the day.

“I also want to believe we are equally responsible. We should also go down to our constituencies and lead civil organisations like the civil vigilante. Let’s go and reorganise our vigilante groups. We take command and take charge of such civil organisations to see how we can salvage and protect our country Nigeria.

“What is happening today, Mr Speaker, is not just to call for mere security or an average performance of security agencies. What we expect of Nigerian government, no more, no less, is to have absolute security.For us to have absolute safety, Mr Speaker, Nigeria must have absolute protection of the lives and property of our people. This is my take, Mr Speaker,” he said.

Doguwa also said the APC-led government of President Bola Tinubu was not doing enough on addressing security challenge.

“…I want to say that yes, the government is doing its best. The security agencies are doing their best. But I want to say with every sense of responsibility and without any fear of equivocation that their best is not good enough. It is not good enough because Nigeria today, Mr Speaker, it is horrific. Mr Speaker, our security situation is tragic. Mr Speaker, the security situation, especially in the north where I come from, is devastating.

“Mr Speaker, our situation in Nigeria today in the area of security is unspeakable. It is unspeakable because our people are left ravaged in serious tension, fear and desperation, all because we are lacking and reneging in our institutional and collective responsibility as a government,”he added.

Similarly, leader of the South-South caucus, Hon.Victor Nwokolo, agreed that the security architecture of country has failed in its entirety.

“What my brother Doguwa said is happening in the north, exactly is happening in the south. There is no part of southern Nigeria that you can said is safe. Outside Lagos, every other state troubled in the south,”he said.

Nwokolo proposed funding community vigilantes directly from local government allocations and involving the private sector in key road repairs to curb highway abductions.

“You go to the police, they say their vehicles are never around because they don’t have what it takes to match the criminals.

“The indigenous people driving Okada or Keke are also part of our problem. They give information to kidnappers, they buy their food, they run errands for them,” he added.